A Tale of Two Princesses
by Silvaheart1995
Summary: Princess Ava of Scala ad Caelum was beloved by all, but when the time comes Princess Kairi must step up to take her place. Under mounting pressure from the foretellers, Kairi soon discovers the heart wrenching truth. Together with her friends Sora and Riku, she sets off to undo a terrible wrong, and to stop an old foe before its too late.
1. The Fox, the Flower Girl, and Another

**Rated M for major character death, violence, and implied sexual content. Inspired by the movie "The Space Between us." and previously known as Sokai/Kingdom Hearts the Space Between Us AU. The first five chapters will be beta'd by RevengeRevisited. **

* * *

Once upon a time in Scala ad Caelum, there lived a princess named Ava.

Ava was the pride and joy of her parents, her pupils, and all the people in her country. For what she lacked in age, she made up for in wisdom, courage, and kindness.

She was, however, still young and incorrigible.

So, on the night of her eighteenth birthday, Ava elected to skip out on her own party in favor of sneaking off to who-knows-where. And Chirithy -immortal-dream eater, guardian of the royal family, and godparent to Princess Ava- was trying and failing to talk her out of it.

"You mustn't do this, m'lady!" Chirithy begged as they hopped after her. "Lady Yuna and Lord Tidus will be concerned when they see you've disappeared!"

Ava, whose mischief and humor often got the better of her, giggled quietly into her hands.

"Chirithy, you're too adorable- even your footsteps sound cute!" she said, and quickly knelt to snatch Chirithy up in her arms. Chirithy yelped and Ava held a finger to her lips. "But we need to be quiet."

Chirithy grunted as Ava hugged them to her chest, and cast a weary look up at the princess' beaming smile- a clear sign she was up to no good. Ava didn't seem to notice or care about Chirithy's disapproval. She hurried down Scala Castle's amber-colored halls, away from the ballroom, seemingly without a care in the world.

Chirithy had cared for many heirs since the Great Disaster split the worlds. Long ago, the Master of Masters and the first royal King and Queen of Scala had tasked Chirithy with ensuring each royal heir successfully produced _another_ heir.

The idea of helping to raise a child, just so that child could have another child... Chirithy disliked it then and now.

Each royal heir was precious. Ava was mischievous, yes, but she was also unfathomably kind and understanding. She carried the weight of multiple roles on those tiny shoulders with ease and joy, as if great responsibilities were lighter than air. She was optimistic and courageous, like her father, and more beautiful than her mother. But as she had worn the Vulpes robes and mask since she was very small, hardly anyone knew that.

For it was tradition that the royal heir lead the Vulpes union, and whosoever led a union was called a foreteller. In accordance with the ancient laws, all but one of the five foretellers were forbidden from marrying or having romantic relationships- and that one was Ava. Naturally, you couldn't keep the royal bloodline alive if you were forbidden to marry, so that was why she was the exception.

Only on the day that she assumed her role as queen, with a husband of noble-or-equal status by her side, could she remove her fox mask and robes and walk freely with her hair down.

"Princess Ava, I implore you," Chirithy begged, turning in Ava's arms to nudge at her chest. "You must return to your birthday party!"

With Ava hugging Chirity close as she was, they could see beneath her fox mask. Her violet eyes, glowing with excitement, slowly dimmed and her chin dropped oh-so-slightly. Her pace slowed until she came to a complete stop.

Chirithy was a special spirit, able to sense emotions. The Master of Masters had claimed it was a gift, to help Chirithy guide their charge down the right path.

But sometimes, like now, it proved to be more curse than blessing.

Ava's usual cheer was eclipsed by a deep, aching melancholy.

"You mean my engagement party?" Ava asked point-blank.

Chirithy gasped, then slowly pulled back, poking their stubby-hands together.

"I'm not blind, Chirithy," Ava stated, squaring her shoulders. "Or forgetful. I know all the laws- you taught me yourself. I saw him seated beside my parents- a seat of honor for a royal guest at my eighteenth birthday party. Clearly, I'm being forced into an arranged marriage. Which means I'm going to have to marry him sooner or later, aren't I?"

Chirithy hesitated. There was no need to read Ava's emotions when her whole body was shaking.

But there was no avoiding the question. She would have to face the music eventually.

"...Yes, Master," Chirithy confessed, head bowed in shame. "Three days from now at sunset, you'll be wed to young Master Eraqus."

Ava's lips were pursed. Slowly, they opened in a dry smile.

_Even if you smile,_ Chirithy thought, I know your heart. _You have every right to be angry..._

"...Three days...?" Ava asked. For all her courage, she sounded like she was choking.

"Forgive us, Master!" Chirithy cried, and hugged Ava. "Lady Yuna, Lord Tidus and I… We bought all the time we could. But the other foretellers- Ira, Invi, Aced, and Gula- they made sure to remind your parents of the laws only a week ago. They even picked someone out for you. But Lady Yuna didn't approve, so she picked Eraqus instead."

Ava's silence spoke volumes. She was a smart girl. She could probably guess just who the other foretellers had chosen.

"Gula... is in on this...?" she asked, her arms tightening around Chirithy as her eyes flashed and her lips curled back.

Chirithy suppressed a whimper.

Gula and Ava were close...

Ira brought Gula to the castle when the latter was only eight. Having lost his parents to an incurable heart condition, he had no one to return to and nowhere to go. If not for the fact that he was a prodigious keyblade wielder, he might have been shipped off-world to the Orphans Sanctuary on Destiny Island.

Thankfully, Ava had recently summoned her own keyblade- an impressive feat for a child barely seven years old- which meant Lady Yuna could step down from her post as Vulpes leader and humbly pass on the mantle to her daughter. As the new Vulpes leader, Ava was allowed to select five Oathkeepers- five dandelions who were exceptionally powerful, to serve as her guards and companions.

The minute she laid eyes on Gula, Ava wished for him to be her Oathkeeper more than any other.

But then tragedy struck. The Leopardus leader, who was much older than his other companions and served as their guide, discovered he was plagued by the same heart condition that had claimed Gula's family. Their healers did everything they could, but it was impossible- this was one thing cure magic couldn't remedy.

Once he was gone, the other foretellers were left with the task of selecting his replacement.

Gula passed every trial with flying colors. He could summon a dark corridor with ease, and still have plenty of magic power left. He memorized every magic circle in the book, and even created a few of his own. He was the first to discover that if you enchanted an object, and clipped it to your keyblade using a keychain, your keyblade would change form and even grant you new abilities. Slowly but surely, he earned the respect of wielders who surpassed him in age and experience, and these wielders pressured the foretellers to choose him as the next leader of Leopardus.

Young Ava was against it. She did everything she could to convince her companions to pick someone else- anyone else. But the other foretellers had no choice. The Leopardus Union had begun to lose morale without a foreteller to guide them, and Gula possessed all the qualities necessary to lead a union.

Chirithy would never forget the day Gula received his promotion.

Ava had stood with the other foretellers at her mother's side. Her companions looked proud, prepared to welcome Gula with open arms. But Ava kept silent, hugging Chirithy so tightly the latter could barely breathe. Chirithy had sensed Ava's despair at that moment was deeper than the ocean.

Not only her, but Gula as well. When told he would not be an Oathkeeper, but a foreteller, Gula turned as white a sheet. He'd stammered out an excuse, attempting to refuse the offer, but he had no choice. Once selected as Foreteller, the position couldn't be refused.

Thus the Leopardus Union gained a new leader, and Ava was forced to choose other companions.

Among her five Oathkeepers was a boy named Ephemer, whom Ava grew to adore and admire more than any other dandelion. The other four were Skuld, Lauriam, Xehanort and Eraqus. As the children grew, they often ran together through the streets of Scala, causing all sorts of trouble. Lady Yuna could be heard wandering around the castle, muttering and worrying, and Lord Tidus often had to give his daughter a talking-to for the sake of her mother's sanity.

What rumors had arisen from Ava's behavior towards Gula as a child faded, and were replaced by new gossip- stories of how Ephemer and Ava would sneak off together when they thought no one was looking.

So when it came time for Ava to select a husband, everyone expected her to marry Ephemer. Only Chirithy knew the truth, and was sworn to secrecy under Ava's personal orders.

And the unspoken truth was this: no matter who they forced her to marry, Ava's heart belonged to Gula and no other. Her life with Eraqus would be warm and comfortable, and a nice relationship. But no love would bloom between them, no matter how much time passed.

Present-day Chirithy noticed their feet touch the emerald-green carpet, Ava having lowered them while they were lost in thought.

"I'm going to bed, Chirithy," Ava said with conviction and finality. "Please inform their majesties for me."

"Ah! But- Princess!" Chirithy yelled, grabbing Ava's pink robes. "They'll be announcing your engagement to Eraqus soon!"

_"THEY CAN ANNOUNCE IT WITHOUT ME!"_

Ava's words hit Chirithy like lightning, and the spirit couldn't help but shudder and stumble back. When she looked over her shoulder, those violet eyes of hers were burning. Disappointment, anguish, betrayal- these took up all the space in Ava's heart for the time being.

"They decided it without me, didn't they?" Ava snapped, turning her back on Chirithy. "If they want to make a show of it, then there's no need for me to be present for _that_ either!"

With that, the young princess marched off. Chirithy watched her until she rounded the corner, moving with such energy that her hood fell back and her long red hair flew up.

Ordinarily, Chirithy would've rushed over to her and fixed her hood, as was required.

Instead, Chirithy turned on one foot and began their quiet retreat. They tried not to imagine what Tidus and Yuna's faces would look like when told their daughter didn't wish to be present at her birthday party.

"The cake tastes pretty good..." Chirithy said, as if Ava were still around to listen. "I don't need to eat... But you should..."

* * *

Ava could scarcely contain herself.

Upon entering her room she slammed the door with enough force to shake the walls. Unwelcome scenarios plagued her mind as a storm of emotions attacked her stomach. She threw herself onto her canopy bed and curled into a ball beneath the silk duvet. One hand claimed a large body pillow, pulling it close so she could scream her head off.

How dare they decide her future for her? And how dare _he_ ask her to meet him tonight when he was fully aware of what tonight really was?

A quiet knock on the door sounded, and her eyes snapped open.

"Go. Away!" she ordered.

Whoever it was, she didn't want to see them. She wanted to be alone and angry. She needed to deal with this on her own while she was still entitled to alone-time.

A second knock and she was up, tossing the blankets aside and marching over to the door. She yanked it open and let it slam into the wall, fully prepared to go off on whoever had come to disturb her in her hour of peace...

But the person waiting on the other side of her door was one of her Oathkeepers.

"Oh, Xehanort," Ava sighed, feeling the anger within her fizzle and die. "It's you. Now's not really a good time..."

Xehanort stood with his arms crossed behind his back, offering her his usual charming smile. Cool gray eyes turned smug and knowing as he quietly unfolded his arms and produced a platter of party snacks, which he offered to her with a princely bow.

Ava opened her mouth to refuse, when her stomach betrayed her.

"Somebody's hungry," Xehanort remarked, and snickered as she pouted in embarrassment.

"Alright!" she conceded, and stepped aside. "Come in."

"As you wish," he said, and entered with his nose in the air. "I can't stay long anyway. Eraqus is having a hard time of it, now that his fiancée refuses to show herself."

Ava shut the door and sighed in defeat. "Don't bring that up. I can't think about it right now..."

"Is being forced to marry Eraqus such a tragedy?" Xehanort asked, taking a seat on her bed and holding the tray of party snacks up.

_Yes._

"No," Ava answered, snatching up every chocolate truffle Xehanort had to offer. "Being forced to marry anyone is a tragedy."

She shoved all the truffles into her mouth at once, and munched thoughtfully. Xehanort set the tray between them on the bed and leaned back on his hands.

"If that's how you feel, why didn't you pick Ephemer when you had the chance?" Xehanort asked, tossing a cheese cube in his mouth.

"Because I'm not interested in marrying Ephemer," Ava asserted.

Xehanort choked on his own cheese. He pounded his chest, gulped, and looked up at her with watery eyes. "Really? Had me fooled," he said, wiping his eyes on the back of his sleeve.

"There's no master or prince in any of the worlds who has my heart, Zay," Ava declared, and felt her despair return. "My heart belongs to me... Nobody else."

Ordinarily, she would've felt bad lying to one of her dear, dear childhood friends. But suddenly, it didn't feel like a lie. Gula had known for a week what tonight really meant. Why didn't he tell her?

"Well, regardless of how _you_ feel," Xehanort said, nodding in the direction of the ballroom. "Or how _he_ feels, I really don't see either of you getting out of this."

Ava chuckled nervously over that. Eraqus was no happier over this than she was, and she'd left him in the lurch. She'd apologize later, but...

"If he doesn't wish to marry me, why didn't he refuse?" she asked.

"Because, the foretellers picked me, and Lady Yuna picked him," Xehanort informed, eyebrows waving. "And had he refused, you'd be marrying _me_ in three days."

"Ah! Seems Eraqus has done me a service then," Ava stated, somewhat grateful to Eraqus. Maybe she should get him a gift of some sort- on second thought, no. No gifts.

"That's what _he_ said. Would I make such a terrible king?" Xehanort asked, acting offended.

"No. But whosoever marries _you_," Ava teased, poking him in the forehead, "Has the patience of a saint, and deserves a statue in their honor."

Xehanort made a face at that, but soon found himself laughing. Ava laughed with him, and for a moment she was almost able to forget her troubles.

Her Oathkeepers were her friends, and she loved them. But not in a romantic way. Marrying any of them felt... incestuous and wrong.

"But you do love someone," Xehanort pressed with certainty.

Ava fixed him with a stern look. "There's no one," she insisted, and looked away. "Besides Zay, it's none of your business."

"I can keep a secret," he promised, giving her one of his sneaky sideways glances. "Who is it? Is it, perhaps, not a man at all? Maybe it's that flower girl in Radiant Garden you're always sneaking off to visit?"

His words triggered an unreasonable amount of rage in her- but before she could tell him off, she recalled with a horrible, sinking dread the letter she'd received just that morning. A letter from Aerith, asking Ava to meet her at Fountain Square that evening.

She shot to her feet in a panic.

"Oh, no! I forgot!" she yelled, and rushed to her bedside table to retrieve her gummiphone.

Xehanort remained undisturbed, aside from looking extraordinarily bored as he sank his teeth into an apple.

"You forget many things," he claimed between munches. "All the time. Every day. You forgot you were bound by marriage laws for at least six months. Could you be more specific?"

Ava threw a pillow at his head. It hit him square in the face, and knocked his apple to the ground.

"Be silent for once in your life!" she ordered, as her phone booted up. "I'm trying to concentrate."

Her phone greeted her with a familiar tone, and the screen lit up to reveal her menu options. She checked her inventory and savings, and found she had an excess amount stored in both. Meanwhile, Xehanort had retrieved his apple and was wiping it on his shirt.

Ava pocketed her phone and summoned her keyblade, raising it in preparation; Xehanort stepped in front of her, twirling his half-eaten apple on the tip of his finger.

"And just where do you think you're going?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at her.

"Radiant Garden. Out of the way!" she ordered with a wave of her hand.

"Master, you know I can't allow you to travel to other worlds unaccompanied."

Ava suppressed a groan of aggravation. Radiant Garden was the City of Light, enveloped in a shield of the strongest, most ancient light magic- a shield put there by the first Queen of Scala herself, and dutifully protected by the Keyblade Wielders stationed there. No one with dark intentions towards that world or its people could enter.

But Xehanort, despite appearing laid-back and reasonable, was exceedingly overprotective. Not just towards his fellow Oathkeepers, but Ava especially.

"I'm _not_ bringing you," Ava stated decisively, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Aerith asked me to come alone."

"Then I'll tell the Lord and Lady you've run off," Xehanort threatened. "Or perhaps I'll just shout for them? I can be loud when I want to be. I did learn from the best you know."

He opened his mouth, but Ava clapped a hand over it.

"Alright, _alright_!" she gave in, and proceeded to beg. "You can come. Just be quiet!"

Xehanort smirked and took another large chunk out of his apple as he moved behind Ava.

She glanced at him in exasperation, but she was in a hurry.

She lifted her keyblade, and fired a beam of light. It shot forward before hitting something solid, and opened as a mist of dark fog.

Summoning dark corridors wasn't exactly quiet. Fearing someone might come after her, she grabbed Xehanort's wrist and rushed into the darkness.

* * *

Dark corridors were a risky and dangerous means of transportation.

They were constructed of the deepest, blackest darkness. They were unpredictable and most importantly, a potentially fatal risk. If you used them constantly without taking the necessary precautions, then your heart would be corrupted.

Cure magic could remedy practically any physical wound. But a corrupted heart was a different story, for that was a spiritual wound, and not so easily treated. If one noticed in time and went straight to a healer -a light magic specialist- there was a decent chance of recovery. But if you _didn't_ notice in time, your heart would become so damaged by corruption that it would crack, and eventually shatter.

A shattered heart was the worst thing to happen to anyone- body and soul would crack apart and vanish. It was a sort of end in which nothing remained, anywhere.

As a child, Ava had watched helplessly as it happened to the former Leopardus Foreteller.

And she'd heard that Gula's family had met their end in the same way.

Not that this fate awaited all wielders- not anymore. Long ago, the light of the past had found a solution: bangles specifically created to absorb the darkness that would otherwise corrupt a wielder's heart. Of course, the bangles could only work for so long, and after some time needed to be replaced with newer ones.

Even with the bangles equipped, what truly decided a wielder's fate was their own strength of heart. A strong heart would allow you to push the darkness away, and would enable your keyblade to guide you to your destination. Otherwise you'd be lost- your path in the dark would dissolve beneath your feet, and you'd fall into the great abyss.

Last but not least, there was one other specific rule to keep in mind. Dark corridors were particular about their voyagers. For example, if a wielder opened a path with the intention of traveling with one friend to another world, that meant the wielder and their friend both had to arrive safely. On the one hand, this meant it was impossible to enter a dark corridor uninvited. On the other hand, if you or your friend fell into the great abyss before arriving safely, the other would be lost as well.

As for how a corridor of darkness could open unto a city of light, that really wasn't too much of a mystery. The closer you got to the light, the larger your shadow became. Powerful light could be overwhelmed by equally powerful darkness.

Ava and Xehanort, however, were accomplished masters with powerful hearts and years of experience in following dark corridors to other worlds. They were in and out of the darkness in less than an hour.

The heart of the city was fountain square, formerly the heart of Daybreak Town, the home of the first keyblade wielders which had been destroyed by the Great Disaster. It was a long story, but Kisala, the first queen of Scala, had gifted fountain square to the city of light in her time and it had resided there ever since.

A full moon hung overhead, its image reflected in the fountain's rippling water. White and purple cobblestones paved the courtyard, ringed by flowerbeds at even intervals. White and yellow lilies glowed in the evening light, illuminated by the moon and lamp posts. Purple banners and vines of greenery decorated the walls of the surrounding buildings.

"Well, we're here," Xehanort said, tossing his finished apple core into a flowerbed. "What now, Master?"

Ava looked and spotted Aerith right away- she was seated on the fountain, her flower basket placed at her feet. She was leaning back, her eyes on the sky, and for once her trademark pink ribbon was gone. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun instead of its usual braid.

Ava felt her stomach drop.

"I need to speak to Aerith alone," Ava answered, somberly. "You stay over here. Don't move, okay?"

Xehanort didn't reply, but seemed to understand.

Ava rushed over to Aerith, her arrival given away by the noise of the flowers which she unintentionally trampled. Once she got closer, Aerith's face lifted in a familiar, welcoming smile and she slowly turned her head to spot Ava, standing beside her in meek silence.

"Hello, flower girl," Ava greeted with unease.

Aerith laughed under her nose as she slowly straightened up to return Ava's greeting with one of her own.

"Why hello there, Ava," she said. "Fancy meeting you here."

Ava ducked her head, attempting to conceal her blush behind her mask. Aerith didn't have a single over-confident bone in her body, but she was known for her occasional teasing, and Ava could've sworn she looked smug.

"I arrived here hours ago," Aerith informed, still polite. "I knew you'd play hooky on that party of yours. I just wish you did so sooner."

"I'm sorry I'm so late," Ava apologized, taking a seat beside her. "It took me forever to get out of sight and sneak away. All eyes were on me. It was-"

_Suffocating_.

"-Overwhelming. Then I had some... mixed feelings to sort out."

"Regarding your marriage?" Aerith prompted quietly, picking a flower from her basket and twirling it between her fingers.

Ava nearly jumped. "How do you know about that?"

"You told me yourself," Aerith replied with a lighthearted giggle. "Years ago, you said you'd have to be married by the time you turned eighteen."

Ava sighed heavily. Right- of course Aerith knew. They'd been meeting up together for years after all. Between her secret meetings with Gula, Ephemer, and Aerith as well, it was difficult to remember what she'd whispered in whose ear.

Aerith placed her hand over Ava's, her expression soft.

"Going by your face, I take it they didn't choose the right person."

Ava opened her mouth to reply, but just as she did, the reality of what was about to happen suddenly hit her full-force. Her mouth closed as her expression warped into one of abject terror, and her eyes turned hazy and distant.

She couldn't help it. Suddenly, her whole life felt like a joke. How had she not noticed before?

No, she had always known. She was just fooling herself- always looking away from the truth, because whenever she did face it, she wanted to _die_.

Since she was a child, her freedom had been restricted in every way imaginable.

She'd done everything she could to live a life she could be proud of. She embraced her roles and made the best of them. She chose Oathkeepers who were the same age as her and befriended them instead of treating them like the glorified bodyguards the other foretellers thought they were. She had no choice in what she wore- she'd worn the Vulpes robes for as long as she could remember. Each time she grew, they made new ones and shoved them into her hands.

How often had she dreamed of wearing other clothes? It was such a silly, frivolous, shallow wish. But she yearned to wear something more domestic- something with boots and open shoulders, with flowers in her hair.

How would Gula react, if he saw her like that?

A feverish blush spread across her face, but it soon faded as she turned green. Realization that felt more like horror dawned on her, creeping up her throat like a spider. She thought she might hurl.

"Ava?" Aerith questioned, squeezing her hand.

Ava's breath hitched, a few sobs escaping her even as she pressed her free hand over her mouth.

But it was no good. Her whole body shuddered with each wheezing breath, and her eyes turned warm and misty as hot tears spilled down pale cheeks. There was an awful taste in her mouth, and heat building up in the back of her throat.

"Ava," Aerith said, and held her close.

Ava felt warm arms around her, and lowered her head into Aerith's lap.

Ordinarily, Ava would pull away. She'd dry her tears and put on a brave face. She'd ignore her own heart and try to think of the bigger picture- her kingdom, her wielders, and all her people.

But these laws robbed her of her childhood. Soon, they would take the rest of her life from her as well.

She didn't ask for much. She only wanted to be with the one she loved. Was that so selfish?

She'd have to share a bed with someone she considered a brother, for the rest of her life.

And the thought was positively sickening.

"I can't do this..." she confessed, bone-white hand gripping Aerith's arms. She lifted her head, wide-eyed and turning green. "I can't... I can't _marry_ Eraqus!"

* * *

Xehanort watched from afar as Ava slowly broke down, burying her face in the flower girl's lap.

In the dark, otherwise deserted fountain square, no one else noticed as a stranger in a black cloak appeared behind him. The two stood back to back, with the other perfectly concealed by Xehanort's form. Had Ava or Aerith bothered to look in his direction, they wouldn't have seen anyone else.

"Is everything ready?" Xehanort asked, his expression unreadable.

"Yes, everyone's in place," the other answered. "Are you sure she won't notice?"

"Ordinarily, she would," Xehanort said, watching as Ava lifted her face to say something to Aerith. "But I'm afraid m'lady's too distracted right now."

"It's good that her heart is so pure," the other stated, sounding genuinely grateful. "You were able to conceal your own and hide behind her light."

Xehanort nodded. Without Ava, he would never have been able to enter this world. Not with what he and his associates were planning.

"Ready?" the other asked, spreading their fingers and offering Xehanort their hand.

Xehanort hesitated at the sight of Ava. She was a sobbing mess, running her fingers through her hair and attempting to dry her tears with the back of her hand and sleeves before giving up and curling into a ball.

"Having second thoughts?" the other questioned.

Xehanort's eyes flashed and his jaw clenched. "No," he answered, and took their hand, lacing their fingers together.

He felt the other cloak himself in a powerful illusion spell, their black cloak replaced with Xehanort's exact image. A perfect copy, convincing enough to fool even Master Ava.

"Will it hold?" Xehanort asked. His Master was a powerful woman, and an illusion specialist on top of that. It would be just like her to notice this other Xehanort was a fake and return in time to halt the real one's plans.

"Don't worry," the stranger said with confidence. "She may be a foreteller, but my powers are equally great. Besides, her heart is clouded. Her mind is on other things."

"Don't compare yourself to Ava," Xehanort warned, his tone grave and serious. "Remember, no harm is to come to her or the other Oathkeepers."

"Are you sure that's what you want?" the other asked. "They'll undoubtedly try to kill you after this. Wouldn't it be better to have them out of the way?"

He had a point. But there were some things even Xehanort couldn't control. And in his heart of hearts, a memory flashed back- a small girl in pink robes, covered in mud from head-to-toe, offering him a crown of dandelions.

_Hey, Zay, want this?_ she'd asked. _Oh, the nickname? Your name's kind of a mouthful, so I shortened it. That okay?_

"Yes, I'm sure," he replied. "Lay one hand on any of them and you'll answer to me."

"Very well, sir," the other answered, and turned. "You should go now, before they notice."

Xehanort took one final look at Ava -her face buried on Aerith's shoulder- and recalled how she'd laughed in her bedroom at her own ridiculous little joke.

He burned the memory into his mind and vanished on the spot.

There was no more time for hesitation.


	2. Don't Think Twice

"Aerith, I can't do it!" Ava sobbed as horrible, burning tears spilled down her cheeks. She blinked profusely and scraped them away with the heels of her palms, repeatedly wiping her eyes on her already soaked pink sleeve. "I can't marry Eraqus, I just can't! I can't live like this. I'll die if I have to. _What am I gonna tell mother and father? What about the dandelions? What_-"

"Ava," Aerith called, gently catching Ava's frantic fingers. Her voice was soft but still demanded silence and attention.

Ava tried- hiccuping and shaking, blinking clouds from her vision. She was already developing a slight headache. Her wet sleeve clung to her wrist as tears dripped from her fingers.

"Ava, it's okay," Aerith promised, so sweet and genuine that Ava almost couldn't argue.

"W-what?" she asked, her voice weak from crying.

"Of course you can't marry him," Aerith said as if it were the most natural and reasonable conclusion. "You don't love him- not romantically, anyway. You only just turned of age. You shouldn't be forced to get married at all."

Ava sniffled and choked out another sob.

"But- But I'm the princess, Aerith," she said, head dropping in despair. "It doesn't matter if I don't love him. They'll make me, or they'll try to. They always do."

"They can't make you do anything," Aerith said, and for once she sounded so defiant and angry. "You've done everything they've ever asked of you. If you don't want to marry him, you shouldn't have to. And if they try to make you, then you run."

Ava winced. Run...?

As in... away?

Abandon her people and her parents... and just disappear?

But that was- was so selfish!

Could she be that selfish?

"I... I don't know if I can do that, Aerith," Ava said, crooking her finger and wiping away the last of her tears with her knuckle. She placed a hand over her heart and took a deep breath. "I could never see any of them again. Or you. I don't know if I could bare that either..."

Aerith shook her head. "You don't have to decide anything now. You have time, don't you?"

"Three days," Ava answered, shaking her head in denial. "Not much time at all."

"It's. Still. Time," Aerith insisted. "And it's yours. Your mother and father will understand."

_Even if it meant they'd never see me again?_ Ava wondered.

"Thank you, but..." Ava began, the contents of Aerith's letter flashing behind her eyes, "...Is that all you called me out here for?"

"It's important," Aerith promised, playfully bumping their shoulders.

"Yeah, but... I feel like there's something else on your mind," Ava probed, and she could've sworn Aerith's knees twitched- one of her tells, a sign she was keeping secrets.

Aerith paused and smiled sheepishly.

"Childhood friends can be scary," she joked and turned to draw circles in the fountain water with her finger. "But you're right. There was another reason I wanted to see you."

Her tone had changed. She sounded exhilarated, but terrified.

Aerith had always been beautiful in a quiet way. She didn't really show it off much, but her charming expressions, her sweet-but-somber personality, the way she always walked with a bounce in her step with her hair braid bobbing behind her- all her little traits and quirks just made her beauty more pronounced, more noticeable.

But now, she was especially pretty. With new light in her eyes and a sweet smile on her face, it was as if the quiet despair which had plagued her since long before she encountered Ava was gone, replaced with pure bliss.

She was positively glowing.

Ava's eyes zigzagged down her figure and landed on her belly...

...And noticed, finally, that it was a little rounder than usual.

Ava sighed in awe.

"Aerith, are you...?" she asked, prompting Aerith to turn and smile at her.

"Yes," she confirmed, placing a hand over her swollen belly. "Zack and I are expecting a child."

Ava took a minute to process that. Once she did, she found herself smiling involuntarily. Why wasn't she happy?

"Congratulations," she said, cringing internally at the lack of sincerity in her words. "But I thought you said you were waiting?"

"We were," Aerith answered with a shrug. "She's a surprise."

"She?" Ava asked, eyes darting from Aerith's belly to her face. "It's a girl?"

"It's just a guess," Aerith explained, looking at her belly. "We won't be able to tell for a few more weeks. I just have this feeling that it's a girl."

Ava admired Aerith's eyes -so full of fondness and protection- but felt her own smile fade.

Zack and Aerith had suffered too much- they deserved to be happy. But... was it wrong for Ava to want that same happiness for herself? Aerith was so lucky, able to live as her own person with someone she truly loved. Such a simple wish should've been available to everyone.

"I envy you," Ava confessed, earning Aerith's attention. "No one controls your life..."

"They can't control yours either, Ava," Aerith stated. "Not if you don't let them. Besides, do you remember what you told me before? About how your mother and father were able to marry?"

Ava stiffened at the memory. How could she ever forget? Those silly marriage laws had given her parents grief as well, so mama and papa had their own reasons for hating them-

_Wait._

What if... she and Gula were to-

She looked at Aerith in surprise. Aerith stared back, challenging but supportive.

Ava fisted her hands in her skirt as her mind shifted to Gula.

Gula who currently waited for her in Scala Castle, in the lowest tower by the sea. She'd never told him she wasn't coming, thanks to Xehanort. Not that it was his fault, really, but she couldn't send a secret message in the presence of watching eyes- anyone's eyes.

But, babies. A house. A life together. Not a secret one, just a regular life. And everyone would have to like it or deal with it.

"That's it..." she realized, her voice barely above a whisper. "All we have to do is-"

"Master."

She jumped at the sound of Xehanort's voice- too loud for him to still be waiting a safe distance away. Sure enough, he was standing right beside her, gummiphone in hand.

"Zay! I told you to wait," she snapped, getting to her feet in a huff. Aerith leaned over to look around her, and Xehanort nodded to her politely before returning his attention to Ava.

"Forgive me, Master, but you need to see this," he said and held his phone out to her.

The screen showed a message from Gula, and her stomach dropped. Xehanort was exceedingly intelligent. It wouldn't take much to tip him off. The slightest mistake-

But then she read the message.

_Have you seen Ava? Our Lord and Lady are looking for her- they're distraught. And Eraqus has disappeared as well. Where are you, Xehanort? We need the Oathkeepers to get this under control._

-Perfectly professional, perfectly harmless. Typical Gula. Were her parents even looking for her?

"Sorry, Aerith, I have to go," she said as she gave Xehanort his phone back and turned to face Aerith. "Do you need me to walk you home?"

Aerith hummed, tilting her head left and right as if she were turning the thoughts around in her head.

"No, thank you," she said, getting to her feet and smoothing out her skirt. "I _think_ I can remember the way."

Ava chuckled, and Aerith threw her arms around her. She was so surprised. She didn't know why- it wasn't unusual for the two of them to be overly affectionate sometimes.

"Promise me," Aerith whispered in her ear, "You won't let them force you into anything you regret."

Ava had to remember how to breathe. When she did, she returned Aerith's hug and nodded subtly, so Xehanort wouldn't see.

When she and Xehanort stood before the dark corridor, Ava looked back one more time to see Aerith. She stood at the fountain, flower basket in hand, waving at Ava. Beautiful, free, proud. Her whole life ahead of her.

In three days' time... would Ava be able to say the same?

* * *

Xehanort opened the corridor in the heart of the castle, not far from her bedroom. After asking her not to sneak out again, he ran off to the ballroom to help Ephemer calm the guests.

Ava trudged in silence. She finally had a minute to herself, and all she could think about was how she'd snapped at Chirithy.

She'd apologize later, but for now she really needed to rest.

Once she reached her room, she stepped in, locked the door, and marched over to her body-mirror.

Ava had never liked mirrors much- she could almost never use them properly, with her foreteller attire hiding everything but the lower half of her face. And after the day she'd had, it was too easy to look at her reflection and recall Aerith's red jacket and hair bun.

With a groan of aggravation, she reached over her shoulders and began pulling her robes up, bundling them in her fists and yanking them over her head. The fox mask was pulled off with them, and then she could see everything.

Her arms were entangled in the robes, and for a minute she stood there, staring at herself. Her violet eyes were shaking and insecure. Her deep-red hair lay like a silk curtain over cold shoulders, contrasting strongly with her pale skin and white dress slip.

She noticed she had taken her keyblade stance, as if preparing for battle, and pulled her feet together with a sigh of defeat.

Ava shook her head, strands of red hair flying up and smacking opposite sides of her face.

"I look terrible," she spat out the words like they were poison, and perhaps they were. But they rang true to her...

"I couldn't disagree more."

Her eyes snapped open and she whirled on the spot.

Gula was seated at the foot of her bed, hunched over, cheek resting against his fist.

How had she not noticed him? Was she so emotionally distraught she couldn't even detect another's presence in her own bedroom?

Rage towards him, the engagement, and her own incompetence bubbled up in her like molten lava.

"You. You knew about this, didn't you?" she accused, marching over to him and nearly tripping on her robes, which were still wrapped around her arms like handcuffs and now dragged across the floor. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Gula got to his feet and opened his mouth, as if he were about to say something. Ava stepped as close to him as she possibly could, looking him directly in the eye. She wanted him to see her fury- to understand how betrayed she felt.

But Gula simply stared at her. He looked away, a hint of a blush running across his face.

"_Look_ at me," she ordered, bopping her fists into his chest- her robes serving as a nice cushion. "Do you have any idea how _humiliating_\- I was ambushed! Finding him seated between my parents like we were already married! You _knew_, you lied!"

"I-I didn't lie, I-" Gula struggled, attempting to reach for her.

She took a step back. "You withheld the truth. It's. The Same. Thing. How could you? How could _you_ do this to me?"

"Ava, you know I had no choice," Gula said defensively. "As for the party, I figured you knew. You know all the laws by heart."

"YOU STILL SHOULD'VE TOLD ME!" she shouted, then flinched as she clapped a hand over her mouth.

Her eyes flickered to the door. They both waited breathlessly for someone to knock. That shout of hers had been loud. If anyone had heard her...

After a few moments of prickling anxiety, they both sighed in relief and looked at each other.

"What are you even doing here?" she demanded, attempting to lift one hand to brush a lock of hair behind her ear before remembering her hands were bound. She tried and failed to pull one wrist free, then the other, but her robes tightened up with each movement.

Gula grabbed her arm, holding his free hand up to halt further movement on her part. Ava squared her shoulders, feeling her chest tighten. But all Gula's careful, nimble fingers tugged at were the robes binding her wrists together, and her lips pressed together in embarrassment.

It took him a moment -how had she gotten so hopelessly tangled?- but eventually she was free, and her foreteller attire fell between their feet in a heap, with the fox mask poking out at the top.

"Ava, I promise," Gula said, slipping one hand under hers and using his other hand to comb her hair out of her face. "I figured you knew and just didn't want to talk about it. If I'd known no one had told you, of course I'd have said something."

He leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers- or rather, his mask.

"Take that off," Ava said with a groan of aggravation. She'd never liked that mask on him- no, in fact, she absolutely hated it.

She pulled the mask away, then nudged his hood back. According to tradition, a foreteller's face and appearance was to remain concealed at all times. But over time, as they grew closer, Gula and Ava had long since done away with that rule.

When they were alone like this there were no fancy titles or elegant masks. Just them and their hearts and the walls of their meeting spots.

Aside from Gula, no one but her parents, Chirithy, and the castle servants who were old enough to remember the good old days knew her true face.

No one but Ava had seen Gula's face since the day he received his promotion. Of course, when she combed her fingers through his soft, white hair, or traced kisses over the freckles just below his eyes, or embraced him and ran her hands up his back... No one was around to see that either.

She'd cried all night after they made him a foreteller...

Without warning, she pressed her lips to his. They were horribly chapped, the lower one was even split- and she got the feeling he'd spent the day sinking his teeth into them, again and again.

She felt the tension melt from his body like ice, and he wrapped his arms around her lower back, pulling her close.

Her fingers twitched and she let one hand rest on his neck, feeling his pulse drum against her palm. She pulled away to breathe.

He called her name -breathless, throaty, and so warm- and she returned as he was in the middle of calling to her again, taking advantage of both their mouths being open so she could deepen the kiss. She pressed herself against him, feeling his racing heartbeat beside her steady, powerful one and folded her arms behind his neck.

Eventually, they had to stop. Breathless and panting, they rested their heads on each other's shoulders. They stood there holding each other, until Ava used their combined weight to knock Gula back. He held her as his back hit the bed and they laid together, one on top of the other, legs hanging over the bed and faces buried in the nooks of each others necks.

Time passed. So much time, in fact, that she began to drift off...

"Ava, what are we going to do?"

His question stirred her awake, and she recalled in trepidation what Aerith had more-or-less suggested.

She thought about her parents -Tidus and Yuna- and how they always looked at each other for support and understanding. Because that's what love and home held, and they had found that in each other when they were no older than Ava and Gula were now.

"Gula..." she said, pushing herself up with one hand so she could look at his face. "Have I ever told you how my parents were able to marry?"

Gula knit his brow. "Isn't... isn't Lord Tidus a prince in his old world?"

"That's what the foretellers told everyone," Ava said, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "But it's a lie. Papa was never a prince- he was the heir to a small tribe. The son of a chief."

"That's not the same as a prince," Gula noted quietly.

"No," Ava said, laughing at his straightforward, pretentious attitude. "No, it isn't. But Mama loved him- loved him so much that the idea of marrying anyone else killed her. She lied to the foretellers and told them he was a prince. So they told her 'the law of the worlds'."

Fearful understanding dawned over Gula, illuminating his eyes like moonlight on water.

"The world order..." he breathed out, and Ava knew he understood.

Order must be maintained. In all the universe, only the Hikari Archipelago and Scala ad Caelum were aware of the existence of other worlds. Each world held its own customs and history, and foreign knowledge of lands beyond their own could come to threaten the delicate balance that held each world together. To protect that balance, the Master of Masters placed 'the law of the worlds', which clearly stated no one from an 'ignorant world' could know the truth.

However, there was one loophole.

The Royal Heir.

"Papa told mama he loved her, and wanted to share his life with her," Ava explained, feeling old grief like ice stab at her heart. "So, Mama told him the truth. That she came from another world, where she was a princess. And if he married her, he would need to live with her in Scala, but if he did that..."

"He would have to fake his death in his old world," Gula said, pained. "He could never return there. Could never see his family or friends again."

"And he did," Ava continued. "He did all of that. But when Mama brought him home, the foretellers told her they knew he wasn't a prince, and said he had to go home. But papa didn't have a home to go back to anymore, and he didn't want to leave mama. So they checked the rulebook -looked through all the old laws- and found a way to be together."

Gula was invested. He waited patiently, and when she didn't say anything, he asked, "What way?"

Ava folded her arms over his chest and rested her head there.

"Destiny Island," she whispered, and felt him stiffen beneath her. "Mama and Papa knew no one in Scala would marry them- not without some grand ceremony, and they couldn't have that. But Destiny Island exists together with Radiant Garden. They're both islands in the Hikari Archipelago, protected by ancient light."

"The ancient light is considered sacred," Gula said with growing excitement. "Any union which occurs beneath the ancient light is considered sacred, too. Which means..."

"Mm-hm," Ava said and sat back on her knees, pulling him up as she rose from the bed. "If we get married on Destiny Islands, like my parents did, the other foretellers will have to accept us. Once we're together, they won't be able to force me to marry anyone else. We'll be married, and Eraqus will stay my Oathkeeper. Everything will be right."

Gula was silent. His expression was unreadable. He just stared at her, and she tried to convey her feelings, her trust, in complete silence. She placed her hand over his cheek, and leaned forward, holding him tight.

"I love you," she told him, and felt his breath fall over her neck. "I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to be with you, just like my father did for my mother. So, Gula, will you-"

"Wait," he said, pushing her away.

She felt her stomach drop. Was it too much, too soon?

"Please, wait," he said, as if reading her mind. "I want to say it."

She gasped under her breath- he was so rarely serious, never taking charge of anything. But when he took her hands again, this time she could feel how sincere he was. Blood burned in her cheeks.

"Ava," he asked, voice croaking and dry. He paused, cleared his throat, took a deep, shaky breath and forced himself to look at her. "Will you marry me?"

She couldn't speak. His words- she'd heard them as if they came from within her, echoing in her heart instead of her ears. Her face felt cold and prickly, like she was feverish. But she knew that wasn't it. Her eyes stung and she squeezed them shut, a single tear escaping her as her hands balled into fists.

"A-are you okay?" Gula asked, reaching for her, rubbing his hands up and down her upper-arms.

Her red, violet, watery eyes cracked open behind a curtain of red fringe. She felt her nose leaking and wiped it clean with one finger before nodding quickly.

"What?" Gula asked, carefully parting the curtain of her fringe to meet her eyes.

"Yes," she answered, lifting her head and smiling weakly at him.

Gula leaned away, his smooth, dark, bewitching skin turning impossibly pale.

"What?" he asked, breathless.

"Yes," she repeated, tilting her head at him and smiling.

He stared at her, unable to comprehend her words, as she nodded fervently.

Without warning, he lifted her up and slipped off the bed, holding her close as he spun them around. She giggled in his ear, and after a moment of bliss, he set her on her feet and buried his face in her hair, breathing her in.

"When do we do this?" he asked.

"Tomorrow morning," she answered, resting her forehead on his collar bone. "The sooner the better. As soon as we're wed, we'll go to my parents and the other foretellers, and they'll break off the engagement."

"Okay," he said, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her. His embrace was a little too tight, but she nestled close and took comfort in the fact that Aerith was right.

She could be free, too. Even with her roles and her kingdom, she could still be almost as free as Aerith.

Gula stayed with her through the night, and she knew she had nothing to regret. All the warmth and love she would ever need was there, in him, and he was prepared to share it with her. Even if they had to live as King and Queen, they would be together. They'd be themselves, Gula and Ava, without their masks.

Home at last.

In the morning, they were gone- off together through a dark corridor, with a sleeping Chirithy tucked away in Ava's arms. Their gummiphones lay on the floor beside the bed, forgotten.

So, when the emergency alerts were received, Gula and Ava never heard them.

And when Yuna arrived at the door that morning, pounding away at it in a panic, Ava wasn't there.

And as the foretellers called for an assembly of each union, the Leopardus and Vulpes wielders were more concerned than anyone.

Where were their Masters? What were the wielders to do without foretellers to guide them?

The Oathkeepers gathered the dandelions, and as his companions poured over maps to discuss battle and strategy, Ephemer alone was sent to locate their missing Master.

But where could she have gone?

* * *

Destiny Island sat at the world's edge, where the sea spilled over into the Ocean Between. A protective barrier encased the island, for without it, the ocean would beat against it like a stone, eventually eroding it right off the map.

Despite that, the islanders were a carefree, resourceful people. They were somewhat isolated- being so far from Radiant Garden that the City of Light was barely visible as a speck on the horizon. Trade was scarce between the two islands, so the islanders relied on each other instead. They worked together as a community, and lived off the land and sea.

Ava and Gula arrived on the beach disguised as ordinary wielders, their masks and robes hidden safely back at the castle. Ava's arm supported the snoozing Chirithy, who stretched and turned over to snuggle into Ava's chest.

Ava giggled at them as Gula lifted an arm to dismiss the dark corridor.

He froze when he noticed the water was flowing in smooth currents just outside the protective barrier instead of crashing in waves against the shore. His eyes followed the currents to the end of the world- literally the spot where the world ended and the Ocean Between sat waiting like a starry void just outside. There were barriers of rusted metal bars planted in the island -the same which enclosed the hay-littered circles of land she used to practice riding horses on- to prevent anyone from stepping off the world and falling to their death.

"Whoa..." he sighed in awe, and casually dismissed the dark corridor. "That's amazing."

Ava didn't care about the water. She'd been here a thousand times before, often without permission- the beige houses with their red-tiled roofs, the picket fences that separated the domestic land from the beach, the dirt paths that networked through the village, rising and falling in small hills... Hibiscus flowers bloomed everywhere, their scent hanging in the air. Coconut and palm trees swayed in the wind with seagulls circling in the air over their nests. Two large mountains stood against the sun on the far side of the island. There was an open-market near the east coast where fish, fruit, and vegetables were sold, and a small school near the west coast. A clinic, a library, and town hall were all found at the center of town, each major establishment being no larger than two houses combined.

She knew all this by heart of course, and it didn't interest her.

What held her focus now was Gula- dressed in some cool black wielder garb. His outfit reminded her of Ephemer's usual getup, something she found mildly hilarious.

But it was Gula. Just Gula, no stuffy foreteller robes to hide his face or feelings. His smooth white hair looked windblown, his spring-green eyes fixed on the world's edge until a blade of grass flew too close and tickled his cheek. She saw the splash of freckles running beneath his eyes and across his nose, his tan skin, his petite-but-muscular form, his mellow curiosity... She felt how her small, soft hand fit in his larger, warmer one like a glove, and had the urge to kiss him.

So she did, leaning over to press her lips against the nape of his neck. He stifled a gasp, but was otherwise relaxed.

Ava pulled away slowly, eyes opening so they could hold each other's gaze. He broke eye contact at one point so he could look her over, and she was pleasantly surprised to see his embarrassed grimace.

She didn't own any clothes aside from her nightwear, dress slips and foreteller robes, so she'd borrowed what her mother had worn to her own elopement- a simple white dress and a shear, transparent pink cloak decorated with star patterns. The cloak had a fox-eared hood, but she kept it down, the sides of her red hair pulled back in a half-up style.

"Excited?" she asked with a sultry smirk.

Gula cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head.

"W-where do we go now?" he asked, voice rising in pitch as his eyes shifted.

Ava leaned her head forward, radiating self-satisfaction.

"Gula, foretellers are the ones responsible for marrying people in Scala, correct?" she reminded, and placed her hands over his cheeks. "So we can marry ourselves- over there."

She released his hand and pointed to a nearby tree, located halfway down the beach. It somewhat resembled a palm tree, but it's trunk was bent at the start, and straight at the end- as if inviting people to sit there.

"Why there?" Gula questioned. "For the view?"

"Mm-mm," Ava replied with a shake of her head. "It's not about the scenery, but the star-shaped fruit that tree bears."

Gula was confused, and turned to stare off into the distance. She followed his line of sight and found the Paopu Orchard- a spot of lovingly tended land at the base of the largest mountain.

"Is it alright to just take them?" he asked, uneasy. "They seem... important."

"That's because they're reserved for marriage ceremonies," Ava explained knowledgeably. "Or anniversaries, or other romantic engagements. It's illegal to pick them without clearance, but that only applies to the trees in the orchard. The tree on the beach grew without anyone tending to it, so those fruits are free."

They both frowned as Chirithy groaned, twitching in Ava's arms and yawning. Chirithy's eyes drifted open, and the small spirit found itself staring at Ava- young, beautiful Ava, whose mask and robes were nowhere in sight.

Chirithy yelped, bounced out of Ava's arms, and began to dance about nervously, tripping over their own stubby little feet and only barely managing to catch themselves. They pointed their front paw at Ava, then Gula, then back again, all the while looking horrified and gasping repeatedly. If it were possible for Chirithy to sweat or turn green, they would've done both.

Ava and Gula exchanged glances and silently agreed to wait for Chirithy to calm down, with Ava folding her hands over her stomach and Gula crossing his arms.

It took a good minute or so, but eventually Chirithy was so tired from panicking that they just fell over, lying on their side in the sand.

"M-m-master!" they finally exclaimed, pressing their front paws into their eyes. "Master, you're not wearing your robes! Or your mask! Where-where-where are we? _This isn't Scala!_ You snuck off without permission again, didn't you? What are you up to? _And who is that?!_"

Chirithy pointed at Gula, and he waved casually.

"Hello, Chirithy. Long time no see..." he trailed off, considered his words, and shrugged. "Sort of."

Chirithy stiffened and shot up, losing balance as they rose so they hobbled on one foot before bouncing back.

"T-t-that voice... Master Gula?!" Chirithy exclaimed, bringing one arm up in front of their face as if to shield themselves from the truth.

Ava leaned towards Gula, beaming, and Gula blushed at her close proximity.

"Was that a joke?" she piped.

"Um... Maybe?" Gula said as he scratched the back of his head. "Was it a nice joke?"

"Nope!" Ava answered, stepping forward to hold his arm and lean her head on his shoulder. "But E for effort."

Chirithy seemed appalled at Ava's little touches, gasping until they ran out of breath. They whirled, growing more and more panicked as they took in the surroundings -no doubt recognizing them- and came to an abrupt halt when their eyes landed on the paopu tree.

A moment of silence passed, interrupted only by the cicadas.

"Oh, no! No, no, no!" Chirithy said, shaking their head frantically with each word. "Master, we can't do this! The other foretellers will be furious with us! No, you must return to the castle immediately, before they notice you've gone! We'll just go back, pretend this never happened, and in three days you'll be..."

Ava's comfort and reassurance at Gula's presence and their purpose here had faded with each word out of Chirithy's mouth. Anguish and desolation had moved in, and it was etched on her face. She wouldn't look at Chirithy; her eyes instead turned to Gula's heart, and as Chirithy's silence dragged out, she squeezed her eyes shut.

Chirithy's head fell as they kicked the sand.

"...Miserable for the rest of your life," Chirithy acknowledged, apparently surrendering.

Gula took her hand, lacing their fingers together, and waited for Ava to look at him. She lifted her head, nodded in reply, and looked at Chirithy.

"Chirithy," Ava said, her tone polite and familiar, but serious, "We wish to be wed."

Chirithy poked their paws together, and shifted where they stood.

"Foretellers can marry people..." they pointed out. "It's a bit informal, doing it yourselves..."

"We know," Gula said, and looked at Ava.

"But it worked for mama, right?" Ava asked, smiling fondly at the thought of her young parents standing on this beach, determined to live out their lives together.

And they'd succeeded.

"Still, it isn't completely official without a witness," Ava said, and pulled away from Gula so she could kneel for Chirithy's sake. "You were witness to my mother's wedding, weren't you?"

"...Yes..." Chirithy admitted, and Ava caressed their cheek.

"Please, do the same for me," Ava asked, feeling her face warm up. "I need your support. Do I have it?"

Chirithy groaned, conflicted.

Chirithy was tasked with a great role by the Master of Masters himself, and they took that role very seriously- even if they disagreed with it sometimes. Chirithy had raised many, many royal heirs; Ava knew that. Still, it didn't make their bond any less special.

They were always together, with the only exceptions being her little meetings with Gula. And if her parents couldn't be with her on this day, Ava at least wanted her Godparent with her.

"Chirithy?" she prompted, gripping her knees and tilting her head at them.

She slid her hand up to the top of Chirithy's head, rubbing them between the ears. Chirithy grabbed her hand with their paws and smiled. Faint and fearful, but still a smile.

"Yes, master," they agreed.

Ava scooped them up without hesitation, rising to her feet as she did so. She embraced Chirithy, remembering a time when they were the same height, and Ava would tackle Chirithy the minute they poofed into a room.

"Thank you."

Once Chirithy was calm, the rest was... nerve-wracking, but easy. Or at least easier than sneaking off together in the morning without telling their friends or Ava's parents.

Together, they walked along the beach to where the free-to-eat paopu fruits awaited them. There, by the paopu tree, between the light of daybreak and the darkness of space, Gula and Ava summoned their keyblades and stuck them in the ground together so they formed an X.

Chirithy planted themselves in front of the X, poking their front paws together. Gula watched Ava hop up to stand on the trunk of the paopu tree, and pluck two fruits from its branches. She dropped back down, feet clapping against the earth and spilling sand into the air. She turned and gave Gula a cheeky smile, offering him one of the fruits to hold.

He looked from the paopu to Ava, noticing her smile had softened and become more inviting. Meek and humble, he took the fruit in both hands, feeling like she had handed him something invaluable. In a way, she had.

He started to lift it to his mouth.

"No," she said with a laugh, catching his hand. "You offer it to _me_. Like this..."

She held her paopu out, in front of his mouth, where he could easily take a bite out of it.

"But before that," she said, lowering her fruit just as he started to copy her. "For an official Destiny Island marriage ceremony, we're supposed to say this..."

Ava retrieved a twig from beneath the paopu tree, and used it to write _the Oath of Lovers_ in the sand. Gula knelt beside her, watching and reading the words as she wrote them out.

"Why?" Gula questioned. Not a complaint, just simple curiosity.

"It's what all the couples on this island say to each other when they share paopu fruits," Ava clarified, paused in thought, and shrugged while smiling sheepishly. "Eh, depending on the context of the promise, anyway. This oath is only reserved for official ceremonies."

"So, we say this to each other..." Gula thought aloud, and looked at his fruit. "And we... feed each other..."

That thought brought his eyes to Ava's lips. Just as quickly, he looked up and away, before turning his attention to their keyblades.

"And then we...?" he asked, trailing off as he focused on Ava's keyblade.

"Yes," Ava answered, grabbing Gula's hand and pulling him to his feet. "Now... Ready?"

Ava watched as a look of determination came over Gula, her eyes tearing up as she admired him lovingly. Together, they brought their free hands together, lacing their fingers through each other. Ava squeezed his hand; this seemed too good to be true. She half-expected her parents -or worse, the other foretellers- to arrive on the beach and halt the ceremony before it could truly begin. Gula seemed to fear the same, given how he clutched her hand.

But nobody came.

They were alone- save for Chirithy, who was no longer trying to stop them.

"With these hands," they said in unison, and tightened their grip on each other, "I hold this promise.

"With this star," they lifted the fruits, holding them out to each other, "I make this oath. I will keep you safe. I will make you happy. For as long as we both shall live..."

An audible crunch echoed through the air as they each took a bite of the other's paopu fruit. They held each other's gaze as Chirithy turned to their keyblades, placing a paw on each key and uttering a special spell. The keys glowed, and Gula and Ava lifted their free hands.

The keys vanished, with Gula's keyblade appearing in Ava's hand, and Ava's keyblade appearing in Gula's hand. Now in the hands of new wielders, the keys began to shift and change form.

In Ava's hands, Gula's keyblade turned lean and sharp. A simple blade with no protruding spikes or extravagant design, just a bright red sword, with a handle shaped like half a heart, and a paopu token hanging from a chain.

In Gula's hands, Ava's keyblade warped and shifted. The handle was pure white and puffy, like clouds on a sunny day. But as Ava's eyes scaled the metal, she saw the cloud-handle turn dark gray, almost black, before merging into a blade of the bluest, brightest ocean, drawn out in spikes and loops like sea waves hitting a rocky shore.

They were each at a loss, concerned over the other's new weapon. An exchange of keyblades to finalize a marriage ceremony was a Scala tradition. When one gave their keyblade to their partner, it meant they were giving them their heart to carry and protect. When the blades transformed, they were meant to reflect that oath.

But these new keyblades... One red as blood, the other a storm at sea... Ava had a bad feeling, as if these blades were meant as a warning.

But Gula's keyblade also bore the paopu token.

According to legend, if two people fed each other the paopu fruit, it bound them together forever and ever, through all eternity.

She locked eyes with Gula, and saw they were in agreement.

Whatever was coming, they would face it together. They would remain a part of each other's lives, no matter what.

"Together for eternity," they said together, stepping forward to lean their foreheads together, "My heart belongs to you."

They dismissed their keyblades, and Gula placed his hand on Ava's cheek. She melted into his touch, looking at him lovingly before closing the distance between them.

As the two shared a kiss, Chirithy looked up at the sky.

Against all odds, these two children had grown and become their own people. With this, Ava's engagement to Eraqus would be cancelled. Her marriage to Gula would be a scandal. The foretellers would be furious, with Chirithy especially.

Chirithy had been ordered to prevent this sort of thing from happening again.

If... if it meant Ava could be happy, truly, honorably happy for the first time since she summoned her keyblade, then it was worth the trouble. The scandal. The gossip. Maybe this spirit could finally-

Chirithy stiffened, watching in alarm as a bizarre mirage appeared and disappeared into the sky. A ripple of light shuddered through the air, high overhead, revealing the barrier of ancient light which shielded the light from darkness.

They pressed their front paws over their mouth, trying to keep the scream of abject terror within them.

"Oh, no," they whispered under their breath.

The light shield was failing.

The sanctuary, the Hikari Archipelago...

...Was under attack.


	3. Thinking of You

Chirithy stood beneath the shuddering, creaking light shield, unable to comprehend everything they were seeing and feeling. As fissures ruptured into being across the ancient barrier which ensured this world's eternal peace, soul-crushing, mind-numbing anguish filled their small body to the brim.

Except it wasn't their own despair which overwhelmed them. No, Chirithy had felt this overwhelming volume of grief only once before- during their first few days of life.

Chirithy's earliest memories were of death and destruction. The Great Disaster which split the world apart, leaving each land splintered and broken. The beautiful and peaceful Daybreak Town -which Chirithy had never had the pleasure of seeing in person- had been reduced to rubble. Many lives were lost. Bodies were stacked on ships, over a hundred of them, and sent far out into the ocean to burn in hasty funerals. There wasn't enough land left for proper graves. People who were away visiting other lands were stuck there, unable to reunite with their families. Even as order was restored and Scala ad Caelum built over Daybreak Town's ruins, more lost ones were unearthed in the cleanup and shadows walked the streets.

The despair of people who lived without hope was something Chirithy could never forget.

Queen Kisala, the first queen of Scala ad Caelum, used her own power as a Pure Heart to rechristen one destroyed island into the sanctuary known as the Hikari Archipelago. Her selfless actions shaved fifty years off her life and she died when she was no older than Ava was now, leaving behind a newborn daughter and a distraught King Jaster.

Chirithy could still feel her warm, soft hands clasped around their paw, eyes lightless and glistening with tears as her strength faded and her body turned cold.

_Please protect my child,_ she choked out with her last breath, _Keep the darkness at bay._

And because Chirithy had loved Kisala, loved and treasured her before any other, they had promised they would do just that.

Kisala's daughter grew, as humans do, burning bright like a candle in the wind, then snuffed out in her sleep from old age. The same occurred with her son and his heir, and so on, all the way to King Braska. Kisala's sacrifice and the endeavors of the keys who inherited their will bought centuries of peace.

Now, someone was threatening it.

Chirithy blinked and looked at Ava, who leaned her forehead against Gula's as she ran a hand over his cheek. Her eyes were like liquid sunlight- warm and loving and direct.

Chirithy had watched Ava grow, and although the child was rare to complain and never once cried in the company of anyone but her family members, it was clear to Chirithy now she had never truly been happy. Not with this life that had been decided for her, nor these roles that were thrust upon her, nor in that humongous castle which was too quiet and too empty.

"Chirithy?" Ava called softly, and they stiffened as Ava's sincere, questioning violet eyes fell on them. "Is something wrong?"

Chirithy hesitated. They had never once been selfish in their lifetime.

But when Gula put his arm around Ava's shoulders, it was hard not to remember the time before Ava summoned her keyblade and was given her foreteller robes. Before her short seven years of childhood came to an end.

Ava wasn't just a princess, nor Kisala's descendent, nor her parent's only child. She was a powerful soldier, a keyblade master, a foreteller, and a leader.

Whatever was happening, the dandelions would need her.

But... maybe it was something that could be handled without her? Her Oathkeepers and foretellers could handle the situation, perhaps. If not, Chirithy could aid them. There was no reason to think Ava had to return to the castle this minute.

"I... think I should go back to the castle," Chirithy said, and did her best not to look away.

Lying to Ava felt... wrong. It stung, and they imagined this was what sticking your arm into a hot oven might feel like.

"We've been gone too long," they explained. "I should go back and... make sure Lady Yuna and Lord Tidus don't send someone to search for you. It would be bad if they found you now."

Ava paused, then giggled and knelt in front of Chirithy.

"That's not bad!" Ava insisted, waving her hand dismissively. "We're already married, so there's no way the other foretellers can force us apart now."

Shoot.

She was right.

Chirithy wracked their brain for an idea- something convincing they could say to get Ava to stay here where it was safe.

Oh.

"You only get married once, Lady Ava," Chirithy encouraged, placing their paws on her knee. "You should take advantage of this day and enjoy your time together. Lady Yuna never got a proper honeymoon, but this island is perfect for that."

Ava tilted her head, frowning slightly. Gula was digging through his pockets for something.

"We could just call them," he said, eliciting a small squeak from Chirithy, which thankfully went unnoticed as Ava turned her attention to Gula. "We can tell them the truth, and just refuse to give our location. Or we can say we were summoned by one of our wielders and... Oh."

"What is it?" Ava asked as she rose to her feet.

"My phone..." Gula said, and shrugged. "I must have left it behind."

"That's okay, we can just use..." Ava started, patting herself down briefly before realizing her slim white dress and cloak lacked pockets. "I guess I forgot mine, too."

They had forgotten their phones.

Of course they had. Naturally, they would've been in a hurry this morning.

"That's not good," Gula said, crossing his arms and squaring his shoulders as his expression warped into one of concentration and concern. "If something happens, they can't contact us."

"I'll go and retrieve them for you!" Chirithy shouted, then froze. Too loud, too loud and Gula looked suspicious now... "I mean, after I talk to Lady Yuna. I'll just... let her know what happened. She'll be on our side, I'm sure. And if anything happens, I'll just come let you know myself."

Their voice rose and fell in pitch as they spoke. They were grateful they weren't human, otherwise they might have died of shame on the spot.

Gula stared long and hard at Chirithy, but Ava simply giggled.

"Well, okay," she conceded, earning a look of disbelief from Gula. "You may go speak with mama, Chirithy. If anything happens, you know where we'll be."

Chirithy hesitated for the longest second of their life.

They couldn't breathe -not that they truly needed to- and Ava clearly didn't buy the story about wanting to go speak to Lady Yuna. Perhaps she was under the impression Chirithy just wanted to give them some alone time, but...

They would take it.

Whatever had to be believed in order for Ava to remain here, they would take it.

"As you wish, m'lady," Chirithy said, and flipped into the air, disappearing in a puff of smoke.

* * *

On the edge of Radiant Garden sat an old church- ancient, decrepit and abandoned. No one quite knew why it was there, or who built it. It had suddenly appeared one night from who-knows-where.

Although truth be told, four children were well aware of where it came from.

Wild vines grew along stone walls, and sunlight poured through the open roof to nourish the bed of white and yellow lilies growing where the missing pews once sat. Evening sunlight reflected off the sea and illuminated the stained glass windows of the tallest tower, where a small but growing family had taken up residence.

The room of the tower was compact, barely large enough for two new parents and their future child to live in. A small bed was pushed into one corner, a mid-sized wardrobe in the other, with a small table bearing a bowl and some towels serving as the washroom placed beneath the window, and a crater in the center of the floor acting as a hearth for cooking and heating food.

Aerith knelt over the hearth, poking at the embers before tending to the pot hanging over them- a simple soup made from fish and the few herbs she was able to grow. Not much of a meal, but hopefully satisfying for the life growing inside her.

Zack sat watching her from the bed. His chin resting on his fist, foot tapping the floor, eyes wide and content as they followed Aerith's hands turning the ladle around in the cauldron with care.

"You sure you don't want any help?" he offered, for the twelfth time in the last half-hour.

"We both know what happens when you cook," Aerith said, gesturing to the scorch marks covering the floor.

Zack laughed nervously, before slowly falling silent. He swept his gaze over their home, brow knitting and shoulders slumping.

"We need a better place to live in," he said.

Aerith sighed. "You know we can't."

For all of the land's beauties and wonders, Radiant Garden was expensive. The two of them were outcasts, like this church and the other survivors from their world. Aerith especially, since she could use strange magic- a kind formerly unknown and still unavailable to keyblade wielders. Zack had worked as a soldier for a few years until they had learned where he came from and dismissed him, along with his fellow soldiers Cloud and Tifa.

How many times had Aerith returned from selling flowers to those kind enough to accept them and found the Church graffitied with the word WITCH?

How many times had she accidentally bumped into someone and watched as they rushed to the nearest bathroom to wash their hands?

Zack still received benefits since he was entitled to them, and because Ava had personally threatened the Radiant Garden Council of Scholars.

Ava was under the impression Zacks' benefits were enough for them to live comfortably, and that Aerith's flower selling was more of a hobby. What a lie that was...

"Maybe... you should tell Ava the truth," Zack suggested, and the way he said it was a clear reminder they were running out of options.

And time.

Aerith's hand curled over her belly. Protect, protect, protect. That one, constant thought now echoed in her mind nonstop.

"I can't," Aerith admitted, and the image of Ava, crying so hard she might break, with her head pressed into Aerith's lap and her hands fisted in her skirt, flickered through Aerith's mind.

"Why not?" Zack asked, clearly upset.

"She has... too much going on right now," Aerith said, eyes shifting.

She couldn't tell Zack everything; it wasn't her secret to tell. Ava was clearly in love with someone else, probably someone she could never be with.

Even if she did tell Zack everything, she didn't even know who it was that Ava loved. He could've been anyone- a commoner in one of the many worlds, a non-wielder in Scala; any of an immeasurable number of people. There was no way to tell for sure, and she wouldn't ask.

"Yes, but how else are we supposed to get out of here?" Zack asked, falling back on the bed. "I mean, even if we can make this work I don't want her- him... whoever our child will be... to grow up in a place like this. It's dangerous and filthy. They could get hurt or sick, and they'd be too small and weak to fight it off as we do."

Aerith's hand came to a halt as she turned the soup. She let her arms fall to her sides, before pressing them over her belly.

What would she do if their baby got hurt or sick? They couldn't afford a doctor. They couldn't even buy medicine. She grew some in her little garden, but a lot of it was too strong in its natural form for an infant.

"Ava can protect you with light magic and lead us through a dark corridor," Zack explained. "Maybe we can go to a world where no one knows about other worlds. We could pretend to be travelers, and get proper jobs, and-"

"Ava is forbidden from doing something like that, Zack," Aerith reminded sternly. "If anyone found out-"

"Okay, but we have to do something!" Zack said, rising up and throwing his arms out. "She'll be here in no time at all. And then what will we do?"

Aerith added a pinch of salt to the soup and stirred cryptically. Silence fell as she thought long and hard, trying to think of a solution.

"Maybe..." she started, face crestfallen, "Tifa and Cloud could-"

There was a familiar splintering sound below, and she broke off with a jump.

The sound of someone's foot falling through one of the ancient stairs.

She and Zack exchanged looks of fear and anger and rose to their feet. Zack slipped a wooden plank into the metal bar hooks positioned on either side of the door, then retrieved his Buster Sword from where it resided on the wall. Aerith went to the opposite side of the room and faced the back wall, patting it down until she found a spot that she could push in.

The wall slid open with a groan, revealing a hidden spiral staircase that led to the beach outside.

Aerith went to Zack, taking his free hand and pulling him to the hidden staircase. He walked backward, holding the buster sword up, eyes focused on the door.

Someone was trying desperately to get in, grunting as they threw themselves against it. Aerith could hear whispered voices and shuffling feet. Several pairs, in fact. She vaguely wondered why there were so many.

No time to think. They had to move.

Aerith stepped into the hidden chamber, holding her breath as she listened for the creaking of wood beneath her feet. Such an old path was not necessarily safe, especially after traversing worlds and over a decade of sitting by the sea.

Thankfully, the first stair supported her weight, and she took a few steps down until Zack's lack of movement brought her to a halt.

She looked back at him, and saw his eyes anxiously flicker from her to the stairs.

He worried it wouldn't hold two people. But she couldn't leave him. She nodded to the stairs, urging him to follow her when the noise of wood splitting and metal being ripped free from stone filled the air.

Aerith clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. The door- it lay in splintered remains in the middle of the apartment floor, the hinges still attached. The wooden plank which served as their lock was broken in half, and the doorframe itself now cracked and crumbled, raining dust over the intruders.

She recognized them immediately.

Dilan and Aeleus, the palace guards. They were joined by another familiar face.

Xehanort.

Seeing him there made Aerith feel as if she had lost her footing. Her heart jumped into her throat and everything else within dropped. She nearly fell to her knees, save for Zack's arm which she now gripped with both hands.

Zack shielded her with his body, sword raised. A long sword, it put plenty of distance between.

Xehanort smiled apologetically, but his eyes were filled with malevolence.

He walked right up to the buster sword...

...Summoned his keyblade...

...And carefully raised No Name so the blades were parallel to each other.

"Hello, Aerith," he said, looking through Zack as if he were invisible. Or nonexistent.

Aerith tightened her grip on Zack's arm, eyes flickering to and away from his back. She felt the muscles in his arm clench in response to Xehanort's attention to her, and tried to take a step back.

Xehanort hit his blade against the buster sword.

The noise was like lightning, chilling her blood and causing her pulse to thrum in her ears.

Aerith summoned all her will, and let the protective rage burn in her eyes.

Xehanort ran the end of his keyblade up and down the Buster sword, and slowly turned his attention to Zack.

"I'm afraid I'll need you to step aside," he said, the command heavy with implicit threat. "Your wife has something I need."

"And I'm afraid," Zack said, gripping the handle of his sword, "You need to leave."

"What are you talking about?" Aerith demanded, glowering at him. "I've done nothing to you. How are you even here? I watched you leave with-"

A broken gasp wracked her body, ripping itself up her throat and entering the air with an echo. Her mind jumped to Ava- little Ava. Who always hid her pain behind her mask, or tucked it away in the back of her mind. Never yielding, never hesitating, determined to put everyone first. Always behaving selflessly, like the queen she was born to be.

Ava who had fallen into her lap like a child, weeping hopelessly and with complete terror. Those tiny shoulders and tiny hands, giving so much support even when she wanted to fall apart.

Ava, who had taken Aerith's hand and ran with her through the streets of Radiant Garden when they were little girls.

Without reason or shame, clutching Aerith's hand in front of all the people who shunned her.

"Where is Ava?" Aerith asked, attempting to approach Xehanort but was blocked by Zack's arm. She leaned over it and said again, louder, forcefully: "WHERE IS AVA?!"

Aeleus and Dilan finally moved toward Aerith, as if they were preparing to grab her. But Xehanort held his hand up, signaling for them to halt.

"Do. Not," he commanded and locked his horrible golden eyes with hers. "Accuse me without knowing anything. I would never harm the Master. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for you. Or rather, the life growing inside of you."

Her muscles tensed, and she felt Zack's skin burn beneath her fingers.

The fine hairs on the back of her neck rose.

What she felt was beyond words.

Her mind was empty, burning, and silent save for the alarms going off in the back of her mind.

But she felt her baby turn within her- precious and fragile in the face of a world that was harder than asphalt.

She stared Xehanort down.

Fearless.

Unrelenting.

Determined.

"How dare you?" she spat, trembling with rage. "You... Ava trusts you. She taught you how to use a keyblade. And you would use it for this? To threaten a child?"

Xehanort tilted his head back and to the side, deliberately looking down on her with cold, acidic eyes. The phrase "all that glitters" ran through her mind.

"Mention master Ava with that holier-than-thou attitude of yours one more time," he warned, eyes widening and veins bulging over his neck, "And this will be a lot more painful than it needs to be. She may not understand now, but one day she'll thank me for this. They all will."

"Even if that were true..." she countered, pressing her fingertips into Zack's arm.

She fought back tears as she tried to burn her memories of him into her mind. The feel of his skin, the sound of his voice. She saw their life together flash before her eyes.

Her legs trembled, and she risked a passing glance at him.

He looked out the corner of his eye and smiled. Half-hearted but encouraging.

In that one moment, no words were needed. They shared the same dream.

She sunk her teeth into her lower lip until she tasted blood. Then she looked at Xehanort, who raised an eyebrow at her, antagonizing and provocative in his self-confidence.

"YOU UNDERESTIMATE THE WILL OF A MOTHER!" she declared, pouring every last ounce of her being into her words, and felt vindicated when she actually saw him flinch.

She uncurled her fingers from around Zack's arm...

... And took off running down the stairs.

"STOP HER!" Xehanort commanded, his words accompanied by the ring of clashing metal.

Aerith ran, descending the stairs in a hurry even as the darkness and her own tears left her blind. She stumbled and tripped occasionally, catching herself on the railing. She heard heavy footsteps behind her, felt giant hands swipe at her, and had her hair been tied back in its usual braid she would've been caught. She sped up, putting distance between her and them.

Then she saw the floor, barely visible, and jumped the last five steps to get to it, landing on all fours and feeling rocks and broken shards of glass dig into her knees.

She heard the man descending from several feet above. She had managed to outrun them, but they were catching up to her.

She retrieved the shovel leaning against the wall, and lifted it high over her head as she ran to one of the many pillars supporting the staircase. She swung the shovel into the pillar, again and again, gritting her teeth to keep from yelping in pain every time the vibrations of each impact ran up her arms. Soon, she felt the wood break beneath her assault and gave one last swing with all her strength.

The stairs started to collapse, and Aerith skipped away just in time to avoid a serious injury. She threw the exit door open and covered her ears as the stairs came tumbling down.

She slowly turned, peering through the open doorway. The dark chamber was now filled with sunlight as well as dust, which slowly dissipated in the warm breeze.

The spiral staircase was now a pile of wood. If the men were still alive, they were buried within it.

She breathed heavily, on the verge of hyperventilating as her hands slowly lowered. Thoughts of Ava and Zack sat at the back of her mind, painful reminders of people she may have lost.

But her child kicked.

And she sprinted away, headed for town.

* * *

"Um, there's an inn. It's a ten-minute walk from here..."

Gula's head jerked to look at Ava. He'd noticed -even as he kept his scrutinous gaze fixed to the spot where Chirithy had vanished from- that her voice fell in volume with each word. She'd also made some adorable-but-hilarious noise at the end, like the squeak of a mouse.

For a moment, he was regrettably ignorant. Preoccupied with his own mental interrogation regarding Chirithy's behavior, everything from the feverish blush that flared into existence across her face, to her averted eyes, to the way she rubbed the lace-material of her cloak between her fingers went over his head.

When he did actually look at her, he was distracted by her color. Framed by early morning sunlight, she glowed. The pink of her cheeks brought out her violet eyes and red hair. Her lithe, pale white fingers were turning purple and red as she wound her cloak up and wrung it in her hands. The slim white dress of her mother hugged her body, highlighting every curve and crevice. She was so skinny and tiny. He imagined his hands clutched around her thin wrists, combing through her hair, or slipping beneath her dress, over her stomach, towards-

At the thought, his mind shut off. His heart lurched in his chest, and he looked away from her, eyes glistening and blinking profusely. He felt as if he had been racing, ghosting over smooth paths only to come skidding to a halt.

Ava was neither weak nor innocent.

That being said, their relationship had never gone that far.

Ever.

But truthfully, he'd always wished for it. His mind had wandered there more than a few times. When he was lying in bed, thoughts of her lulled him to sleep. Her scent lingered, imprinted in his mind. A fragrant combination of the royal gardens, her own perfume, and the sweets she and her Oathkeepers would hoard from the kitchen. Once, she'd met up with him after sparring with Ephemer, and her skin was so flushed he nearly fainted. Not out of concern, but from the very idea of her beneath him- her violet eyes darkened and glassy, her red hair thrown over his pillows, her claws at his back-

He shuddered and pushed the thoughts back.

Guilt and the need for discretion had kept him from acting on these fantasies. There were times, though, when one of her soft touches felt too desperate. When her sweet eyes seemed to ask for more.

But now...

He looked at the paopu fruit in his hand, a small chunk missing from one of the corners. In his mind, he saw perfectly soft, peach lips part and close around the fruit. Even after dismissing the weapon, he could still feel the warm handle of her keyblade against his palm. Like he was holding her hand.

A low breath escaped as he peeked over at her and winced.

Her eyes were glistening.

Before he knew what he was doing, he took her hand and headed towards town.

Ava mumbled directions and pointed, but was otherwise silent. A few of the early-bird islanders were already up, and the sight of two wielders marching by on a perfectly ordinary day earned them some looks.

"Keykids? What are they doing here?"

"Here to check on the barrier, perhaps?"

Right. The barrier. Of course they would assume Ava and Gula were there to check the barrier. That worked as a half-decent cover story, even if it was the wrong time of year for it.

"Who's the girl? She's pretty."

Gula nearly glowered at the young man, currently eyeing Ava with lovestruck eyes.

"She looks familiar," another youth commented.

Gula nearly jumped out of his skin, and picked up the pace. Ava ducked her head and continued to direct him, their only thoughts now being to get out of sight. Right, she'd spent a lot of time here. Even if no one here had seen her face before, her size and voice would give her away. More importantly, her hair- that deep, rich shade of red that Gula had never seen on anyone but Ava. Strands or whole bundles would sometimes fall out from beneath her hood, especially on an island like this which was awash with ocean winds.

They reached the inn before too many islanders left their beds. The hostess was thankfully oblivious to Ava and seemed preoccupied with the novel she was trying to hide behind her back. She processed their payment for a single on the second floor.

Ava was still too overwhelmed and crimson-faced to do anything but breathe occasionally, and allowed herself to be pulled by the hand up a single flight of steps to their rented room. Gula inserted the key and turned the knob, carefully guiding her in before shutting the door and flicking the lock shut.

He pressed his back against the door with a heavy sigh of relief. These islanders might be lacking in things like computers and gummiphones, but they did have a single all-purpose landline which, if necessary, could be used to contact Radiant Garden. Which was exactly what the mayor would do if he found out who Ava was.

Some space. A little peace of mind. Was that too much to ask?

"Gula?" Ava called, pleasant. Prompting.

"Yes?" he asked as he lifted his head just in time to see her close in on him.

She claimed his mouth, pressing her hands against his chest and eliciting a small, startled gasp through his nose.

His eyes trembled briefly, wide with fear.

Truthfully, he had no idea what he was doing.

But, he suspected she didn't either. The way she stood a step away from him, hands braced against him, eyes squeezed shut. She was scared, too. She just wouldn't let that stop her.

Nothing could stop Ava.

He loved that about her.

Slowly, his eyes drifted shut. His arms wound around her hips and he lifted her up, holding her to his chest as he walked her to the bed. She was so _light_\- she weighed next to nothing. How could she be so strong, with her petite, lithe body, living every day with that much weight on her shoulders?

Wasn't it exhausting?

How was she not crushed?

Thin, strong legs wrapped around his torso as if to answer him. No, she was strong. Unfathomably so. He knew that.

But was it wrong to be weak, every now and then?

He laid her down on the bed, keeping his hand cupped around the back of her head as he lowered it to the pillow. They pulled apart to breathe then, and when their eyes met, everything else in the world fell away. Her little glances over the last couple of years. Those direct, challenging eyes. Even among all the fear and uncertainty, she'd trusted him that much for so long.

He took a deep, shaking breath and slowly lowered himself, laying over her and pinning her beneath his weight. He dug through her hair with his nose until he found the crook of her neck, breathing her in and shuddering against her in response.

She nuzzled her face against his.

"Relax a little for me, sweetheart," she told him, more pleading reassurance than an order. "We can always press pause, and pick up again later."

His eyes snapped open.

"No," he said.

"No?" she asked, sounding a little amused.

He pushed himself up, looked her in the eye, and shook his head.

"No," he said, determined.

He mashed their mouths together, and chose to ignore the alarm sirens going off in the back of his mind. For once it was messy, especially when their teeth clacked and he accidentally bit her tongue. He felt mortified until she giggled -that clear, pleasant sound that tickled his ears- and then his teeth were on her collarbone, nipping lightly before trailing kisses over her skin towards her jaw.

She arched her neck, hissing and combing her fingers through his hair, pulling his head up by his locks to press their open mouths together. He shifted, moving over her without breaking the kiss, sweeping his tongue over hers and pushing their lips together. His eyes fluttered open and he caught a glimpse of her face- flushed scarlet, bathed in beads of sweat.

His heart knocked against his chest like a gong before thundering into a quiet beat that reverberated in his skull. He was suddenly acutely aware of how he was slightly taller than her, how he was propped up on his knees, arched over her, chest heaving as their kiss grew deeper.

His hands, gripping the pillows for dear life, trembled as they uncurled, sliding over soft white sheets until they found her hot, skinny arms. His calloused palms ghosted over her burning skin until his hands were splayed over hers. Slowly, their fingers curled together, and they squeezed each other as they pulled apart. For a moment, they both stared at each other, foreheads pressed together, noses brushing, drinking in the image of one another.

Ava's violet eyes were dark, glassy orbs, swimming with a thousand different silent wishes. She unlinked one of her hands so she could run it up his cheek. Careful fingers swept strands of his white, sweat-slicked hair off his face, combing it back before returning to his cheek. He melted into her touch, placing his hand over hers.

His hands were so much larger than hers. He just barely surpassed her in terms of height, really. But their hands... As little children, their hands were the same size. Now, his fingers completely hid hers from view.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, and despite the atmosphere, the sensation of being so light he floated, the rush of blood in his ears and his heavy heart beating so hard and fast in his chest that he half feared it would explode, her voice still reached him.

Her question was baffling.

His original thoughts... His first feelings... He couldn't remember.

If he had to venture a guess... He would say he liked her. Was attracted to her. Even way back when.

The day they'd met, he'd been empty. He had lost everything in the worst way imaginable. His parents had shattered before his eyes. No one in his large, extended family wanted him. When Ira came, he barely noticed. He followed him to the castle like a mindless, soulless zombie. His heart had shut off and he couldn't feel anything. Not a thing. He didn't want to.

Then _she_ appeared. Playing in one of the streams of sweet water that cut through the flowerbeds surrounding Scala castle, then stumbling up and out of the stream, beelining through the flower fields and slipping on muddy feet before crashing into him. When his back hit the cobbled path and he'd looked into her violet eyes, seeing her spotted and slung with mud and decorated with flowers, he couldn't help it.

He blushed.

She was cute.

And she'd thought he was too. She told him so. Right then and there.

Well, she said she liked his hair. Which was nothing special. A lot of the people in his family looked the way he did- dark skin, silver or white hair. His eyes were different because they were his mothers.

Eight-year-old boys do not respond well to flirting. Especially if cute girls compliment their hair and ask them to be their "oathkeeper."

As someone who'd previously shut off his heart, Ava's words were like a defibrillator. He was overwhelmed with emotions for the first time since his parents passed.

Then he'd made a mad sprint back to town, and Ira spent the next forty-eight hours looking for him.

Over the years, during their little night time meetings, this memory gave him strength. It motivated him to keep seeing her even under the pressure of excommunication- for if they were caught, that would be his punishment. Losing his keyblade, being banished to another world... A heavy price.

He took the risk anyway.

During the day, she was with them.

Her oathkeepers.

More specifically, she was with Ephemer.

Silver-haired, charismatic Ephemer. His distant cousin, as was Xehanort, not that either of them knew that. Ephemer and Xehanort were both able to become oathkeepers, while Gula was shoved into the foreteller position.

Ephemer adored Ava. He called her amazing and followed her around with sparkling, idolizing eyes. He offered her roses and told her she was beautiful. He did this openly, without shame, in front of his fellow Oathkeepers or whoever else was around to see.

Gula had sat by, quietly steaming, and tried not to imagine strangling the boy. He was nice, Ephemer.

Gula hated him.

Ephemer could praise Ava all he wanted. He could bring gifts, and no one would lecture him about traditions or old laws or Ava's responsibilities. People believed they were in love, and so many people looked forward to their wedding day. Gula couldn't even go to a tea shop for lunch without hearing the gossip.

Foretellers are forbidden to marry, Invi had told him sternly, not even looking at him, long ago. The one and only time he made the mistake of watching Ava from afar in front of another foreteller.

_What about her wishes?_ he'd thought.

Had anyone ever even asked her what she wanted?

Did anyone even care?

Her Oathkeepers cared, but they clearly wouldn't ask.

He knew.

He would grant all her wishes.

"Gula?" she asked, and his attention was on her again.

The present her.

His wife.

He didn't know how to answer her. Couldn't put the feelings to words. He wished he could show her the memories, just hand them to her and let her see how much he loved her. How afraid he was when he thought Ephemer loved her, too. How much sleep he lost, wondering who she would choose in the end.

But she was here with him.

Had chosen him.

She'd guided his hand up her dress without his noticing. He felt his fingertips graze her breast, saw how her eyes crinkled up in response, and suddenly his thoughts were gone. He was in bed with her, warm and tense with anticipation.

From then on, he barely thought at all, but he did his best to remember everything.

Their clothes thrown to different sides of the bed, or bunched up beneath the sheets, or lain over the pillow by her head. Their hands linking and unlinking, with her fingers raking through his hair, down his back, over his body. Their many kisses and all the little noises she made.

The door was locked.

The curtains shut.

The lights off.

There, in the dark, they were truly, finally, together.

* * *

Ephemer felt squeezed from all directions. His arm twisted away from him and his vision went black. Pressurized air howled at great volumes past his ears. He couldn't breathe, could barely move, but somehow managed to tighten his grip on the star-shard as it hauled him through space.

One loud pop in his ears and he could breathe again, inhaling and gasping for air as his eyes snapped open. Blue, blue, blue- In all directions he could only see endless blue as well as floating white wisps. One-and-two clicked together as his brain recovered from the unorthodox transportation, just in time for him to realize he was falling.

Wind rushed past his back, sending his silver hair and trademark red scarf fluttering in the wind, and he grit his teeth as he flipped over midair. He was still dizzy, but he could see that was the ocean below him- far below. If he kept falling at this speed, he'd break every bone in his body.

His arms stretched with difficulty through the gale winds, and he summoned his keyblade. Starlight, the trademark of the dandelions. Level fifty, bearing a fox token on a red chain.

He brought his arms together, feeling his elbows strain and his shoulders crack until his managed to link his hands over the hilt.

_"AEROZA!"_ he commanded.

A charge ran through his keyblade, pulling the wind rushing past him towards the tip. Sharp ocean winds swirled into an octopus-shaped current just in time to slow Ephemer's fall. He fell through his own magic cloud and hit the water hard, though not at fatal speed.

Crisp, clean sea water welcomed him as he sank deep into the ocean. He managed to right himself once he was a foot or two below. He spun, helicoptering through the sea towards the sparkling sun -so clear and shimmering beneath the water- until his head broke the surface.

The evening sun bathed the whole island in a deep, orange light. Both town and sea were quiet; there weren't even any fishing boats about.

He leaned his head back with a sigh, and shook the water from his ears. The warm, fuzzy creature hiding in his shirt crawled up his back and wriggled their head through his collar. Ephemer smiled apologetically and stroked them behind the ears.

"Sorry, Chirithy," he said, relieved to see they were alright. "I meant to drop us on the beach."

"'S okay..." Chirithy said, squinting in the sun. "That's a prototype, anyway, so the fact you managed to control it enough to bring us here is great."

Ephemer scratched their ears, and Chirithy began purring in delight before snapping to attention.

"No, no, we have to stay focused!" they commanded, pulling the rest of themselves out of Ephemer's clothes and looking over the beach. "Um... Um... She's gone!"

"What?!" Ephemer asked, then checked.

Chirithy was right. The beach was empty. Master Ava was nowhere in sight.

"She didn't leave, did she?" he asked, and for all that he sounded calm, he was frantic with worry.

Ephemer wasn't what you would call a pessimist, but he'd been through ten worlds in a single day, and for half of that time he didn't even have Chirithy with him. He'd had no time to change clothes or act conspicuous, and yes he'd raised a few eyebrows when he ran through the desert kingdom in wielder gear with an anthropomorphic cat perched on his shoulder.

He had no choice though.

They were under attack, and not just Ava, but Master Gula was missing as well.

"I don't think so," Chirithy answered as they used locks of his silver hair to pull themselves up, collapsing with a grunt over his skull. "I can feel her heart. She's here. I'm just not sure where... Oh."

Ephemer peeked up at them curiously. That last word was spoken with a heaviness akin to guilt.

"Maybe... check the town," Chirithy said, pointing towards the island. "Be careful swimming back. The currents closest to the island have enough force they can sweep you out to space."

Ephemer hesitated, wading in the water. Chirithy was hiding something... which was strange, since they were physically incapable of lying. They could imply, or withhold the truth so long as they weren't interrogated by the royal family, but nevertheless. Chirithy was an honest, pure creature. Lies were... out of character.

He buried these thoughts and began swimming to shore, taking extra care with the currents as was instructed. Chirithy's biggest priority was Ava, and if they were keeping secrets, it was likely because Ava asked them to. Besides, he half suspected his Master might have come here for the sake of being alone.

He cut through the barrier and raced up the shore, stopping for a moment to peel his scarf off and wring it dry. Chirithy stood beside him, caked in sand and shaking themselves like a dog. He snickered when their fur poofed up, then quickly pressed his hands together in apology.

"How can you be so calm, Master?"

Ephemer flinched at Chirithy's grim, probing question. He hadn't expected to be called out.

"This situation... is unprecedented," Ephemer admitted, his face falling. "To be completely honest, I almost feel like I'm dreaming."

As if he were trapped in a nightmare. If that were the case though, he'd be awake by now. He knew how to jolt himself awake from those using fear alone.

Even with everything that had happened, he hadn't even gotten to the worse part yet. Delivering this news to Master Ava... Her face when she was told the truth... He didn't want to see it.

He sighed and picked Chirithy up, setting them on his shoulder. He ran one hand over their head, trying to reassure both the spirit and himself as he ventured into the village.

* * *

Ava woke with a start, eyes snapping open in alarm.

What was that noise?

She could've sworn she heard a woman screaming...

What was this room? Where was she? Where-

Her flickering eyes landed on Gula, and the tension melted from her bare shoulders. He slept next to her, facing her, eyes shut and expression gentle. He had his arm bent and placed between his head and the pillow. Why would anyone sleep like that? It looked so uncomfortable. Not that she hadn't seen it before...

Without warning, the events of the last few hours came flooding back to her. Here she was, on Destiny Island, stark naked and resting between rough linen sheets with Gula beside her who was also...

She turned over on her back and sat up, feeling the uncomfortable fabric rub against the bare skin of her... well, everything. Even in this dark, private room with the door locked and Gula sound asleep beside, she kept the duvet folded around her bare breasts.

Freezing. She was freezing, thanks to the dry sweat clinging to her skin.

She placed one hand over her temple and curled in on herself, pressing her lips together. She felt her whole body heat up, tingling here and there at the memory of his touch.

Those rough, calloused hands... chill to the touch... squeezing and grasping at her in places she never even imagined him touching.

Her breasts were sore.

As were other places.

Not to mention, both she and the bed were a mess now...

His hand found her back- her bare, pale back, and she stopped holding her face to look over her shoulder. His eyes were cracked open; clearly he was barely conscious. Those green, heavy-lidded eyes nearly fell shut multiple times in the brief moment that she held them.

Oh.

_"He has to be exhausted, after doing most of the work-"_

She slapped her hands over her mouth and shook her hair in front of her face. _I said that out loud,_ she thought, mortified.

"Are you... alright?" he breathed, and she peeked over at him in embarrassment. The feeling soon faded, replaced by relief when she saw his blank, expecting face.

_He didn't hear me,_ she thought, and nodded.

Satisfied, his hand slid from her back and hit the bed, palm side up. She softened at the sight of his peaceful, sleeping expression and his hair which was still such a mess. She'd been too distracted to keep track of how many times she combed her fingers through it, gripping it between her knuckles, pulling at it. Not that he was any better. Strands of white and red hair littered the pillows and mingled in the sheets.

She smiled, blinking slowly as she watched his chest rise and fall with deep, easy breaths.

She lifted the blankets and slid from the bed to kneel beside it. She took his hand in hers, holding it to her cheek as she smiled at him, then rose and retrieved the small memo pad and pen from the bedside table.

She left the note folded in half and laying on her pillow. He would see it as soon as he woke, and until then she needed a shower. And food. She had never been starving before... It was almost funny.

The hot water helped to soothe her aching body; it was such a relief she wound up standing there for a good ten minutes or so. As she combed her fingers through her hair, excess amounts of loose strands were washed down the drain. Their shampoo was so fragrant, filling the bathroom with the scent of melons. Once she was clean and dry, she retrieved her mother's clothes from the floor and pulled them back on.

She regretted not bringing an overnight bag. Not that she'd known they would spend the day here like this, but regardless... She wanted to wear more clothes like this. As soon as she was queen, she would wear whatever she liked. And if Invi and the others didn't like it, oh well. They could sit on their anger and quietly steam. Perhaps they should all adopt kittens and learn to relax a little. Especially Aced.

She turned the knob before opening the door and tiptoed out, poking her head back in to make sure Gula was still sleeping soundly.

Sure enough, he hadn't so much as stirred. He was still snoozing in that same, uncomfortable-looking position, with her note beside him.

Ava slipped out and shut the door, giggling into her hand.

_I'm so happy,_ she thought, blushing as she descended the stairs with a grateful smile. _I've never been so happy in my entire life. Thank you, Aerith. Thank you, Mama._

She pressed her hands together in front of her face, unable to keep from smiling too much. If someone saw her randomly smiling to herself, this red-haired girl who'd arrived early this morning then spent the whole day indoors with a handsome man dressed in wielder garb... Actually, she was already suspicious.

"I'm begging you, please help me!"

She stopped halfway down the stairs, then hugged the wall. She knew that voice anywhere...

"I'm sorry, my hands are tied," the hostess apologized, and the way she said it was understanding and sympathetic, but adamant. "I can't give out private information like that. It's bad business."

"But this is an emergency!" Ephemer pleaded, pounding his fist on something. "Please, at least tell me if you've seen a woman with red hair today? I asked around, and everyone who saw her said she walked in here early this morning!"

Ava pressed her back against the wall and folded her hands over her heart. Ephemer sounded so... distraught. Why? Had something happened? But Chirithy had promised to come and fetch them-

"Master!"

Ava looked at her feet and found Chirithy standing there.

_Chirithy._

She slid down and opened her arms, allowing Chirithy to run into them. She sighed in relief and folded her arms around the little creature. They buried their face in her chest and trembled frequently, but seemed otherwise okay.

Thank goodness. When she realized Ephemer had come to fetch her, she'd feared Chirithy was lost or hurt.

"Master, where is Gula?" Chirithy asked, keeping their voice low as they leaned back to look up at her.

"Sleeping," Ava answered. "Why, what's happened?"

"I NEED TO SEE HER!" Ephemer demanded, his fist slamming on the wooden counter. "It's a matter of life and death! If you won't tell me where she is, then go and fetch her yourself!"

"How dare you?!" the hostess countered, evidently insulted. "Even if you are a wielder, marching in here and expecting us to bend the rules for you-"

_"Enough."_

Both the hostess and Ephemer turned to look at her. Ava now stood in the lobby at the foot of the stairs, holding Chirithy to her chest as she fixed both of them with a sharp glare. Even without her mask and robes, she was still the princess and commanded an air of authority. Plus, it was hard to look away from burning, violet eyes when they fixed themselves on you and froze you in place.

Ephemer was the first to recover, shaking his head to pull himself out of a daze. His hand, clutching the check-in counter, unfurled and color flooded his bone-white knuckles as he rushed over and threw his arms around Ava. Chirithy squeaked in discomfort as they were squished by Ephemer's embrace.

Ava blinked in alarm, and quickly returned his hug.

Ephemer pulled back, holding her at arm's length. In all the time they'd known each other, Ava had never once seen him frantic.

He certainly was now.

"You're safe!" he said, squeezing her arms. "Everyone is so worried! Where have you been?"

"Uhhh-" Ava hesitated, eyes shifting. Gula. Their marriage. He was sleeping just upstairs. But...

She glanced quickly at the hostess, whose hands were on her hips as she frowned pointedly at Ava.

Ava thought quickly. Ephemer would never have come looking for her unless there was some sort of emergency. Revealing her union with Gula now might not be ideal- it could just add to the chaos. Furthermore, the hostess was just an innocent third-party. If the other foretellers learned she'd lent them a room, there could be trouble.

"Oooooh..." Chirithy moaned, holding their head as they curled up.

"What is going on?" The hostess demanded, slapping the counter.

"A-" Ephemer began.

Ava panicked, and slapped a hand over his mouth. The noise was loud, and she suspected that may have hurt- unintentionally. She would apologize later.

"Ada!" she yelled at the hostess, who jumped at her sudden change in attitude. "My name is Ada! This is my brother. He just came to get me because I..."

_Think, think, think._

"...I ran off!" she lied, feeling beads of sweat trail down the back of her neck. "Anyway, sorry for the commotion, we'll be going now."

Ava whirled, taking hold of Ephemer's wrist and marching towards the exit.

"Oh, but what about-" the hostess asked, gesturing upstairs.

Ava rushed out of the inn so quickly, a trail of dust was left in her wake.

The hostess waved the dust from her face, coughing as she stared out the doors at the now-busy evening streets. She waited for the girl and boy to come back, then narrowed her eyes and began drumming her fingers on the counter.

She wasn't sure she believed the girl's story. But she couldn't poke her nose where it didn't belong- that was bad business. In any case, she felt sorry for the wielder boy upstairs. His girl had just ran off on him...

* * *

Ava walked around to the back of the inn, with Ephemer dutifully allowing himself to be pulled along. Only once they were alone, with no wandering eyes to spot them or perked ears to listen in on them, did she face him.

One of the things she loved about Ephemer was his grace under pressure. So naturally, seeing his anxious, coral-blue eyes zigzag down her face, as if to ensure she was truly there, was unnerving. Add to that the shaking Chirithy, who was rubbing their temples and peeking out groggily at the two masters, and Ava suddenly felt very small.

Why did her heart hurt so much?

"What is it...?" she asked, hugging Chirithy as if to shield them from some fatal attack.

Chirithy looked up at her.

Ephemer's face fell. His eyes overshadowed as his fingers curled into fists. He stood there, shaking, but she couldn't tell if it was out of anger or sadness.

"Master, I need you to return with me to Scala," he said, voice barely above a whisper, tone heavy with a fatal grimness that could only mean something terrible had happened.

She felt her palms go numb and her fingertips ached. Her mouth opened and closed multiple times, before she cleared her throat and managed to find her voice.

"Are my parents safe?" she asked, the weight of her question robbing her of nearly all feeling in her legs.

"Their majesties are fine," Ephemer said, and she could tell it was taking all his strength not to let himself fall to the ground. "But we... We need you to meet with the remaining Oathkeepers. The dandelions and the Vulpes union wielders are waiting for you."

Ava felt as if a bolt of lightning had zapped through her skull. An assembly...? That was... No. Wait. What had Ephemer said...?

"What do you mean... remaining Oathkeepers?" Ava asked, tensing her shoulders and fighting to keep her feet glued to the spot. She had this terrible, unrealistic urge to turn and run.

Ephemer looked up at her, taking a deep breath as he did so, and Ava felt her stomach drop.

"Xehanort has betrayed us," Ephemer informed, his voice and face empty of any recognizable emotion. "He's attacking Radiant Garden."

Ava felt her blood run cold. The earth spun beneath her feet as the sky came crashing down onto her shoulders. She caught the distant sounds of Chirithy and Ephemer shouting her name and realized she had fallen to her knees, one arm braced against the back of the inn to keep from fainting.

The world was gone- it was nothing but endless, white haziness spread out in every direction- save for her little spot of earth, which she clawed desperately, raking dirt into her palm and squeezing it until it came spilling out either side of her hand.

She vaguely realized that with both arms free, she must have dropped Chirithy. But her mind was preoccupied at the moment.

Xehanort... Xehanort had accompanied her to Radiant Garden...

But...

But hadn't something been off about him? His presence, his aura... She'd vaguely felt, in the midst of her grief and anger, that something was amiss.

When he ran off to the party, he'd asked her not to wander off again.

Why would he say that?

Xehanort... Rather than saying 'not to wander off' he would've made some stupid remark. Or flashed that trademark smirk of his or... something. Saying something like "don't wander off" and then running away from her... That wasn't like him at all.

"Master!" Ephemer called, waking her with a jolt.

Ava coughed and slammed her fist into the wall. Hyperventilating... She was hyperventilating. She needed to still her breathing. She pushed back the memories of Xehanort -her Oathkeeper, who'd insisted on going with her to Radiant Garden- and focused on the image of Gula, sleeping peacefully in their room, and tried to match their breathing.

When she did finally steady herself, her voice was weak, but that other Xehanort stuck out in her mind and caused her heart to jump.

"Xehanort... Castle...?" Ava choked out, and Ephemer's face warped into one of pain and self-loathing.

"There was another Xehanort, in Scala castle..." he said, on his knees in front of her, and let his hands fall into his lap. "But it was a fake. They disguised themselves as Xehanort using powerful illusion magic. Lauriam was the first to discover it, and managed to defeat the imposter. But Lauriam is badly hurt and under the care of healer's now."

An imposter. She'd brought an imposter into their castle. And that imposter had hurt Lauriam.

Lauriam was the only guardian of his much younger sister, Strelitzia. What would Ava say to her, if Lauriam died from his injuries? The fact that he was still in the care of healers meant his wounds were so grave that they needed to be healed with special care...

"The imposter is in our custody. As for the real Xehanort..." Ephemer trailed off, trembled for a moment, and continued. "A few of our wielders stationed in Radiant Garden managed to send out a mass distress signal early this morning. But when we tried to contact them, the lines were dead. We haven't been able to contact anyone in Radiant Garden since then."

Ava's eyes slowly widened. A mass distress signal... An alert which would be received by every wielder no matter what world they were in, so long as they had their gummiphone with them.

She'd left her phone behind.

So had Gula.

While they were together in their rented room... No, maybe even before that, their wielders and everyone in Radiant Garden were...

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt.

"Aerith," she called, as if saying her friend's name would make Aerith appear.

Aerith was pregnant.

More importantly, she was a rare mage. An outsider. A survivor from an ignorant world. Tifa and Cloud were the only ones aside from Zack who would help her, but they were off traveling the archipelago right now. Which meant...

Zack and I are expecting a baby.

Ava shot to her feet.

"We have to go!" Ava declared, summoning her keyblade with a flick of her arm and marching forward to summon a portal. "Right now, to Radiant Garden!"

"DON'T!" Ephemer called, grabbing her arm and forcing her hands down, then backing away when he saw her, enraged and teary-eyed. "Master, the Dark Corridors won't open anywhere in the Hikari Archipelago! I couldn't even open one here. I had to use-"

He pulled something from his pocket, holding it out to her. She recognized it as a star shard- a sort of meteorite imbued with pure-starlight magic. T'was theorized by past wielders that starlight magic could be used as an alternate means of transportation- possibly much safer than the dark corridors. The scholars of Radiant Garden had gifted this very prototype to Ava only three months prior and she, in turn, had entrusted it to her mother Yuna.

The fact that Ephemer had it meant her mother had given it to him.

Ava would never doubt Ephemer.

But this... This was absolute proof he was telling the truth...

"No..." she said, as a few tears escaped her. "But Aerith and Zack are-"

"Master, don't worry!" Ephemer told her, placing his fist over his heart. "I promise I will save your friends. But for now-"

"Ooh," Chirithy moaned, and both Masters looked at them. The little spirit was on their knees, holding their head, framed in a bright red aura.

Before anyone could react, a magic circle spun into existence, closing Ephemer and Ava within its range with Chirithy at the epicenter, the poor creature clearly in horrible pain.

Too late, Ava recalled her mother's special magic.

A combination of the Keyblade Wielder's summons, and the summoning arts from her father's homeworld.

Thanks to the special magic seal placed on Chirithy's heart, her mother could summon anyone from anywhere...

...So long as Chirithy was with them.

Ava turned on her heel, and was about to race out the circle's range when she felt her feet leave the ground.

The earth turned upside down and shot away from her.

Her hand, outstretched, wouldn't reach him now.

Meanwhile, back in her rented room Gula slept soundly, peacefully unaware that he had just made a grave mistake...


	4. Wherever you Are

Ava knew better than to fight her mother's summoning magic. She'd tried once before and nearly lost an arm.

Still, as her feet left the ground and Destiny Island became a small speck in the distance, the idea was tempting. She'd left Gula asleep in their room, and the idea of him waking up, reading her note, and trusting all was well, broke her heart.

As space and worlds whipped past her, she felt Ephemer close his arms around her. At this speed, even minimal movement was close to impossible, and the landing would be uncomfortable. She felt blood splatter across her cheek, and the next thing she knew they were on the ground.

She passed in and out of consciousness. Ava's head spun, but from her scrambled thoughts she managed to pull Ephemer's, Gula's, and Aerith's names together. Ephemer... Ephemer was bleeding.

Ava pushed herself up and leaned over him, too dizzy to form a complete sentence, but the sight of her close friend made her blood run cold.

Ephemer had landed on his side, one arm pinned beneath him and bent at an unnatural angle. The shoulder was bleeding profusely, and his eyes slid open and shut as his eyes rolled.

_"Eph...!"_ she tried to speak, her voice weak as she lowered herself, like she could somehow shield him from the pain. She held her hand above his skull, wanting to heal him despite knowing better. Such a wound required an extraordinary amount of magical power- much more than she could summon when her body was like jelly and her vision was spinning.

Chirithy.

The name of her godparent suddenly flooded her mind, and she felt like she was drowning. _Chirithy_. Yuna's special summoning magic drained Chirithy so much it was possible to kill them. Her mother knew that and used it anyway?

_Traitors,_ she thought as strong arms grabbed her by the shoulders and lifted her up. She recognized her father's voice, echoing and distant, and felt heat rush up her throat as her mother joined them. Her parents held her, but she was beyond angry. They used summoning magic... Chirithy, where was Chirithy? And Ephemer needed help, and Aerith, Aerith was screaming.

She shoved off their embrace and stumbled away, searching. Searching for Ephemer and Chirithy- poor Chirithy! She fell to her knees. Her head was throbbing and she felt sick, sick, sick. But she couldn't vomit, she wouldn't. She had to... hold on...

Paopu.

Promise.

_Gula!_ she thought as she fell into a heap over the cracked earth.

* * *

Ava dreamt of the past.

In the winter of her seventh year, a mere two weeks after her birthday, her mother summoned her to the throne room.

There, mama told her a story-the story of Scala's past.

_Long, long ago, all the worlds were still one,_ Yuna had said with a wistful look in her eyes. _We refer to that era as the age of fairy tales. This was the age in which the Master of Masters, the first Keyblade wielder, appeared. No one knew where he came from, nor what he looked like, and it became a tradition for the greatest masters to conceal their appearances. He came to fight the 'shadows which walked', the heartless, and in time gave keyblades to the children of Daybreak Town so they could defend the world's light._

_But invisible walls held the world together. And the heartless clawed away at them, for the one world was too bright. The world fell apart, and became many- as many worlds as there are stars in the sky. The children of Daybreak Town lost their home and their families, but after burning their dead and weeping for days, they began to rebuild._

_The Master of Masters left behind rules to follow and appointed five foretellers to ensure they would be obeyed. Among the five was Kisala herself, the first Vulpes union leader. Together with her husband- the King, the Master of Masters, and the other foretellers, Kisala established a wielder society to ensure the keyblade would be passed down in order to prevent another Great Disaster._

_But all good things must come to an end. The Master of Masters vanished, dimmed, and faded. Queen Kisala used her magic as a Pure Heart to create a sanctuary -The Hikari Archipelago- so that no matter what happened to the other worlds, there would always be a safe place to seek refuge. Left behind, the King and the foretellers raised the princess to be the next Vulpes leader, and taught the first generation of wielders to always pass down their powers. For even if the keyblade wasn't needed in ten years, or twenty, it might be needed in a century, or ten centuries._

_Do you understand, Ava?_

_The Keyblade is a part of our history._

_But always remember-_

_Keyblade wielders must never fight each other. That would lead to chaos and destruction beyond comprehension._

That night, Ava summoned her keyblade for the first time. The next morning, she was promoted to foreteller status. Her regular clothes, which she'd designed herself to mimic the style of her father's homeworld, were taken away and burned. She was given her mother's mask and rule book, and pink foreteller robes to fit her small size.

Not long after that, she'd met Gula and her Oathkeepers.

Her mother continued to train the dandelions and the Vulpes wielders until Ava was capable to do so.

She met so many people...

...Made so many memories...

...And grew to love her home and her people more and more with each passing day.

Ava stirred awake, feeling sunshine on her face. Her mother's delicate fingers caressed her cheek; Ava's eyes snapped open.

_"CHIRITHY!"_ she shouted, sitting bolt upright in bed. Her red hair flew forward and backward like a curtain in the wind, and only then did she notice her mother seated next to her.

"You're awake," Yuna said, smiling slightly.

Ava slowly turned her head and stared at her mother. She saw her mother's pale skin, bags and dark shadows under her eyes. Despite all that, Ava was unable to quell her anger and half-tempted to slap her.

"You used... Chirithy... to bring me here against my will," Ava accused, eyes widening with fury. "You promised me you would never... use that magic circle again. Ever. Chirithy almost died the last time you used it. Ephemer... You hurt Ephemer."

Yuna sat in silence, allowing Ava to list off all her sins; Ava got the sense her mother wanted to be slapped.

But Ava... couldn't bring herself to do that. Despite Ephemer's injuries and Chirithy's absence... she just couldn't.

"...Where is Chirithy?" she demanded, fisting her hands in her blanket. "Did you kill them...?"

Yuna took a deep breath, and sighed.

"Chirithy is immortal," Yuna clarified, looking on. "Their body is made of light, and their existence is tied to the royal family. So long as someone with our blood survives, they cannot die."

_Unless their light is dispelled and scattered too thin by abusing their abilities,_ Ava wanted to argue,_ like your world-hopping magic circle which Chirithy let you place on their heart._

"Right now, Chirithy's light is dispersed," Yuna continued. "We've confined it to a single room and are waiting for them to pull themselves back together. As for Ephemer, he's resting. It took all night, but our healers cared for him in shifts, nearly exhausting their magical power to do so. He should be healed and resting by now, as is Lauriam."

Ava listened carefully, then fell back on the bed. She covered her eyes with her arm, trying to get the image of Ephemer gravely injured and half-blacked-out from pain out of her head. Lauriam was also okay and Chirithy... would be okay. Eventually.

"Ava... where were you?" Yuna asked, clearly exhausted from worry. "Chirithy begged me not to ask. What have you been doing?"

Ava's pinky twitched. What would she do...? She couldn't tell her mother about her marriage, not with everything that was going on. The foretellers and everyone in the castle were focusing on the crisis. Two of her Oathkeepers were injured and a third was...

_"Why?"_ she croaked, sobbing as a few tears escaped her and trailed down her cheeks. _"Why would Zay... do something like this...?"_

Xehanort wasn't this kind of person. He'd looked after her and the other oathkeepers like an older brother. He was... stubborn, rude, and cynical. But... he was also kind. He'd always been the one to find her when she was crying, no matter where she hid. Even Chirithy could never find her, but Xehanort always did. That stupid scholar, always so good at chess and cards and every sport under the sun. The one who spent his life with his nose in a book and pulling stupid pranks on Eraqus.

He... he wasn't capable of attacking a whole city of innocent people.

Especially not a city he knew housed one of her closest friends.

She grit her teeth, dried her tears, and sat up in bed.

"I... I have to go get Aerith," she said, sliding her legs off the bed. "I have to make sure she's alright...!"

Yuna's careful hands grabbed her knee and shoulder, and Ava watched her mother shake her head slowly at her.

"The dark corridors aren't opening right now," Yuna reminded as her face fell. "I don't have the means to send you anywhere, either. The star shard was destroyed by the impact."

"We... we have to find another way, then!" Ava pleaded, urgency lending her voice a blade. "Aerith- Aerith is in danger!"

"Everyone in Radiant Garden is in danger," Yuna clarified, carefully wiping away Ava's tears with a single finger. "Unfortunately, no amount of worrying will create a path. Even if we could, I don't think we should rush into this. Our enemy... is another wielder."

_A clashing of hearts only creates disaster._

Ava knew that.

But...!

"Mother, listen! We _have_ to go get to Aerith!" Ava explained, desperation lending her voice a blade. "No one else will help her! Everyone in Radiant Garden _hates_ her. And on top of that she's carrying-"

Yuna cupped her hands around Ava's face; she went quiet.

"Please, rest for a moment," her mother asked; Ava couldn't bring herself to argue. "Just travelling by the magic circle has drained you so much. Leaving in your condition would be unwise. Please give me some time. I'll try and find a way to Radiant Garden. As for what will be done there... That needs to be discussed in detail."

Ava was screaming inside.

_We don't have time for details!_

_Aerith is pregnant, and her city is being _attacked!

But even as Yuna rose from her seat and walked to the door, Ava's words went unspoken.

For the moment, she had no hope at all.

Without a means to travel there...

...She was trapped.

* * *

Beneath Scala castle was an ancient prison, one specifically designed to contain darklings. But no one had visited this prison since ancient times.

Until now.

Skuld fell back in her chair, tossing her dark hair over her shoulder with a flick of her wrist. Eraqus kept his distance, back pressed against the door, head twisting every now and again to peek out the window.

He was the lookout.

_One of yours is responsible for this catastrophe,_ Invi had chided. _As such, you Oathkeepers are under house arrest._

This was an opportunity to get some answers. The remaining foretellers, the Lord and Lady, as well as the top party leaders from each union, were all assembled together in the throne room for a council of war. Lady Ava was still recuperating from the strain of her mother's summoning magic, Chirithy was invalid, and Ephemer and Lauriam were resting.

"Talk," Skuld commanded to their prisoner-of-war.

Not-Xehanort was a young man from Radiant Garden. He wore a castle guards uniform and had dark hair that was slicked back behind sharp ears. Although his eyes were brown, they were discolored around the edges, and seemed to turn more gold with each moment.

"Evening, poppet," he greeted, and shrugged against his restraints. "My name's Braig. I take it you're Skuld-"

Skuld held a hand up to silence him. "No. No games. Tell me what Xehanort is after."

"I honestly don't know, doll," Braig insisted, and Skuld's eyes narrowed. "The kid's a bit of an enigma. He _did_ promise to give me a keyblade, if I helped him with this little scheme of his."

"You're not worthy of holding one," Skuld told him point-blank. "Now, I don't have any time to waste, so I'm going to ask you some questions. And you're going to answer me."

"Oh? Is that so?" Braig asked with a chuckle. "Well... you can ask away. I'll tell you whatever I know, which really isn't much. He suspected I might get caught, so he kept me out of the loop."

Eraqus felt the resolve within him drain away.

Xehanort...

"Fine," Skuld replied curtly. "First of all, how did Xehanort manage to enter Radiant Garden with such intentions?"

"I think that would be obvious," Braig said, leaning forward and raising his eyebrows at them provocatively. "Your master Ava took him there."

Eraqus knit his brow. _What? But..._

"You're lying," Skuld accused. "Master Ava would never-"

"Oh, she didn't know what we were planning!" Braig shook his head, head dropping to the side with a sort-of comical smugness. "That was kind of the _point_. Your master Ava's heart is courageous and radiant, with more than enough light that someone with enough self-control could repress their dark desires and follow her into that sanctuary. A real shame, too. She might have figured out what all was going down if not for _him_." Braig nodded towards Eraqus. "Honestly, getting forced to marry someone who's practically a brother to me would even make _me_ flee a ritzy castle like this one. She cried a small river into that flower girl's lap. Of course, I did make sure to bring her back here once I disguised myself, so she must've taken off after that."

Eraqus cringed internally, and looked away. His fault...? He made... the master cry...

"What is Xehanort trying to do in Radiant Garden?" Skuld demanded, having chosen not to argue against the last bit of information. "Why can't we enter the city now?"

_"Thaaaat...!"_ Braig drawled, leaning back, "I don't know. He wouldn't tell me. But I can guess it has something to do with the people there."

Skuld gripped the undersides of her chair. "The... people...?"

"Yeah, them," Braig continued conversationally. "They've lived their whole lives shielded by the strongest light in existence. It makes them special- at first anyway. Their children have hardly any darkness within them, which isn't unusual for kids. But it's especially true for the children living in that _particular_ world. If I had to guess, I'd say he's looking for one of _them_."

"Who do you mean?" Skuld asked, her voice wavering.

Eraqus knew. Skuld had to know, too. All wielders knew. Becoming a keyblade wielder came with an expensive education and years of strenuous training. One of the first lessons ever taught involved the history of Scala, the monsters called the heartless, the door to kingdom hearts, and the barriers which kept that door sealed shut.

One of those barriers was the royal family.

But there were also...

"Pure Hearts," Braig answered, and all the color drained from Eraqus' face. "Hearts incapable of producing darkness. There's a high probability that the very existence of Radiant Garden as a sanctuary may have caused one to be born there."

But that would mean Xehanort was... No, it couldn't. He couldn't be that far gone...!

"How is he searching for them?" Skuld asked, a low growl in her voice.

She'd guessed it too.

"Ah, well. If you really wanna know," Braig said without a care in the world, "He must be experimenting on all the children in the city right now-"

Skuld's chair fell back, hitting the ground at the exact same time that her hand struck Braig's face. The sounds of each impact combined to echo within the cell, creating a noise akin to gunfire. A small streak of blood now decorated Braig's grazed cheek. Skuld apparently scratched him with her fingernails. The man himself appeared rather pleased, smirking despite the pain- if he felt any at all.

Skuld breathed heavily for a moment, frozen in place after slapping him.

Eraqus was having trouble comprehending the situation. Skuld was a sweet girl... He could count on one hand the number of times she'd lost her temper... And yet, he'd just watched her slap someone with his own eyes.

Skuld pulled back, planting her feet and curling her fists.

"You'll fail," she vowed. "Whatever you people are planning, it isn't going to work. We're going to get into Radiant Garden and put a stop to all this."

She turned on the spot and marched towards Eraqus. He barely managed to step out of the way before she shoved her way through the door and out into the hall.

"Yeah, good luck with that!" Braig laughed, straining against his chains. "How are you supposed to pull yourselves together... when you've already fallen apart?!"

* * *

Ava sat cross-legged on her bed, her comforter wrapped around her like a cloak. With the curtains of her canopy bed drawn shut and her foreteller robes folded neatly at the foot of her bed, it almost felt like a normal day.

But she was holding her gummiphone in one hand, and Gula's in the other.

Having sat unattended beneath her bed all this time, the mass distress signal buzzed nonstop. She gripped each phone so hard that the screens started to crack; she set them on the table before falling back against her pillows. She pulled the duvet around her until only her face was left uncovered.

She pressed her fists over her eyes sockets.

"What's wrong with me?" she asked herself through gritted teeth.

"Master."

Ava stiffened, momentarily elated before the overwhelming weight of self-loathing and grief crashed over her once more.

"Ephemer!" she sniffled, drying her eyes. "Are you okay...?"

"I'm fine, Master," Ephemer reassured, standing by her bed with his hand splayed against the canopy curtains. "The healer's fixed me right up."

"I'm here, too," Lauriam greeted, standing a step behind Ephemer.

Ava gasped and through her covers off. The curtains kept things transparent, but blurry. They saw Ava's silhouette reach for the curtains, as if she were about to pull them aside.

But she froze.

Paused.

Pulled back.

Ava sat on her knees, unspeaking and unmoving for a good minute. Ephemer and Lauriam were silent too, unsure of what to say despite sneaking out and coming here without permission. Did Ava know Invi and Ira put all the Oathkeepers under house arrest? Or that the two of them were supposed to be resting? Would she be upset if they told her all that?

"Master, I think I know a way we can get to Radiant Garden," Ephemer said, choosing not to mention the rest. "It's risky though, and we'll need to talk to Chirithy. We can still communicate with them, even with their light scattered like this. But-"

"Maybe we shouldn't," Ava interrupted.

Ephemer listened, before understanding settled over him.

He remembered a warm, sunny day on the beach not so long ago, when a beautiful young girl had pulled his scarf from his neck and ran off with it. Her laughter and energy had been so bubbly and contagious. Such a sweet recollection...

...Brought such painful feelings.

"Master, what troubles you?" he asked, careful to keep his voice light and steady.

Ava pulled herself into a tight ball- head between her knees, hair parted at the back of her neck, spine so bent and hunched it could have snapped. Her eyes burned and blurred with tears. How dare she cry? How ugly and pathetic of her, to cry for herself in this situation she created with her own hands.

"I betrayed Aerith's trust," she confessed, unable to face Ephemer. "I brought a traitor into her city. I allowed two of my Oathkeepers to be injured. Chirithy, too. Everything's a mess because of me. I'm a terrible princess... I don't deserve to call myself a master."

She broke off, folding her hands over her face as muffled sobs ripped her throat to shreds. No good. Logic was no good. Even if she knew better than to weep before her friends, she couldn't help it. She hated herself... She'd never felt so ashamed in her entire life. The peace enjoyed by the worlds, the sanctuary created by her ancestor, the life she'd built together with her friends... She'd destroyed it all with her own hands. She was a beast, a hideous monster.

"Master, don't blame yourself for this," Euphemer said.

Ava stiffened, caught by the straightforward honesty in his voice.

"You should never blame yourself for trusting others," he continued. "Xehanort's betrayal- You aren't at fault for that. He is, for deceiving you. Even if I don't want to think of all our years together as a deception, even if he is going down a path I can't follow, I want to remember him the way he used to be. Because after this, no one else will.

"And please, don't say you aren't worthy. You are our inspiration. No other master or teacher could've taught us what you have; without you, we might have forgotten. Enjoying our peace and being able to laugh from the bottom of our hearts... It was so much fun."

Yes. Stealing freshly baked brownies from the kitchen, exploring the city and the castle, swimming at the royal family's private beach... Sleepovers and scraped knees and dog piles... All of their days together were so much fun. Without them, her fears and insecurities would've clawed away at her. With them, she had so much love and pride.

"Master, ever since I met you," Ephemer said, voice faltering and hesitant, yet he pushed forward. "As your Oathkeeper, I've done my best to be selfless. I tried to trust the teachings and the foretellers. But I've never really trusted them, because... even if it is my responsibility as an Oathkeeper to be selfless, as your friend I have a selfish wish. And that is for you to be free."

With that, he pulled the curtains aside, and Ava popped up with a gasp.

"Ephemer!" Ava said, gaping before dropping her face into her hands for cover. "Ah, wait! My mask, I-"

"You don't need your mask," he stated, and put one knee on the bed, leaning forward on his hands. "Just forget about that silly law for a day. Besides, you've shown me your face before, right?"

He smiled, feeling kinda awkward despite his words, and stretched out his hand for her to take it. From her expression, he could see she had quite forgotten. A couple of years had passed since that day on the beach. She'd been so smug, even recording the whole thing. Then, she went and forgot about it- The nerve.

He chuckled internally and waited for her to take his hand.

Slowly, she relaxed and lifted her face. A stray tear glistened in the weak light behind her curtains, and she stared at Ephemer before smiling.

"What would you do without me?" she asked, and took his hand.

Ephemer folded his thumb over her fingers, and carefully pulled her out of the shadows. Her feet hit the floor.

"I'd miss you," Ephemer promised.

"I'm sorry..." She combed her fingers through her messy bed-hair and batted tears from her eyes. "Crying like this-"

"It's alright," Lauriam said, gently pulling Ephemer back by the shoulder and offering Ava a handkerchief. "You don't always have to be strong for us. Crying for yourself can be healthy."

"M-Master?"

Lauriam, Ephemer, and Ava turned their heads.

Skuld and Eraqus stood frozen together in the doorway, looking out of place. Eraqus shifted awkwardly and looked away, but Skuld shook her head and took a step forward, placing a hand over her heart.

"M-Master, we have some information for you," Skuld said, her eyes darting to and away from Ephemer and Ava's linked hands.

"Yes, actually we came here with information, too," Lauriam informed them, arms folded across his chest.

Ava felt a portion of her guilt dissolve as her remaining Oathkeepers gathered around her, whole and hearty. She looked over them- their love and courage, their never giving up... the strength of heart which they possessed... She had always believed it surpassed her own.

Xehanort had betrayed them all. They had to be grieving too, but rather than looking defeated they appeared simply... prepared.

_It's because I wasn't here,_ Ava accepted, holding the guilt at bay. _They couldn't move without me._

"I'm sorry," Ava apologized once more, face falling as she lowered her feet. Her fingers pinched the sleeping yukata, and she looked at her bed. "There's so much I need to tell you. All of you. And I will, but first... please tell me everything that happened while I was away."

They were happy to answer her, and so a long talk began.

The mass distress signal was received thirty-six hours ago, putting every wielder in Scala on high alert. Many of them were still sleeping or training, but all at once they began to gather. They reported to the castle, to their respective union assembly halls to meet with their masters... discreetly. Despite the majority population being wielders, there were still citizens in Scala who lived under their protection.

These people were unaware of the current crisis.

Soon as everyone was gathered, people quickly noticed Gula and Ava were absent. In fact, Lady Yuna was the first to discover Ava wasn't in her room. Invi and Ephemer both tried to contact the missing masters, but no one picked up. Lady Yuna stepped in and called for the leaders of each union's most accomplished party, and after a quick debriefing, placed them in charge.

Meanwhile, the Oathkeepers gathered in the Lux Chamber. Ephemer was elected by his compatriots to locate Ava, and if possible, Gula. Ephemer began hopping between worlds in search of them, while Skuld, Lauriam, Eraqus, and the person whom they mistook as Xehanort at the time, began a strategy meeting.

However...

"Something felt off," Lauriam claimed, his amber eyes narrowing at the memory. "Even though he was acting like his usual self... something just felt off. His presence, or his body language. Even now I can't explain it. But when I stopped and thought about it, I remembered how you vanished from your birthday party. How he followed you. And how he behaved, once he got back a while later... And then I had this horrible sinking feeling. Like I was falling from some great height. Before I knew it, I'd summoned my keyblade and pointed it at him. Skuld and Eraqus both thought I'd lost my mind... I don't blame them. I would've thought the same in their situation. But he smiled at me, like he was almost _proud_. And I just knew it wasn't really him."

"What happened?" Ava asked, trying not to imagine what this not-Xehanort was feeling or thinking when Lauriam found him out.

"He wanted to know what gave him away," Lauriam answered, looking disgusted. "When I told him it was a hunch, he just laughed. His voice changed too- he didn't sound like Xehanort after that. Then Eraqus wanted to know where Xehanort really was, but instead of answering, he-"

Lauriam broke off, eyes popping, mouth snapping shut as the color left his face and burned in his eyes.

"W-What? What is it?" Ava asked, leaning forward, brushing the back of her hand up Lauriam's face, then turning it over to sweep his hair out of his face.

But Lauriam remained locked in his stiff, unbreathing state.

Finally Skuld broke the silence:

"He asked Lauriam, 'How's your sister, Laur?'"

Ava cringed, feeling as if she'd had the wind knocked out of her.

Skuld folded her legs to her chest, while Ava turned to Lauriam in a panic.

"Is Strelitzia alright?!" she asked, and Lauriam nodded fervently.

"She's fine, she's fine!" he promised, and shuddered. "But, at the time, he made it sound like... Like maybe Xehanort had _done_ something to her. I lost it and attacked him. I... I was reckless. I slipped up and got hurt. I managed to defeat him anyway, but then Skuld and Eraqus were the only two oathkeepers left standing."

"Master Invi heard the commotion from the Foretellers' Chamber," Skuld continued in a hurry. "And by the time she arrived, the impostor's illusion was dissolved and he was revealed. When she saw Lauriam and him both injured and lying on the ground... With me worrying over Lauriam, and Eraqus making sure the imposter didn't stand up... Well, she figured it out just from looking at us."

"Sounds familiar," Ava replied, recalling Invi's cold, sharp gaze, always zeroed in on her. Hiding anything from Invi was difficult. Naturally her relationship with Gula was especially difficult to keep hidden, and they only just barely managed it.

Gula... Gula... She'd left him behind. Even after promising they would face everything together...

_Focus._

"What did Invi do?" Ava asked, reluctantly. Knowing Invi, she must have been hard on them.

"She locked up the imposter," Eraqus said, speaking up for the first time since they all started sharing. "Lauriam was carried off to the infirmary. And then... Ephemer came back."

"I couldn't find you anywhere," Ephemer said, shoving his hands in his pockets and looking back. "I'd been to so many worlds, through so many dark corridors. I was exhausted, to be honest, I wanted to rest. So, I took a minute to catch my breath, and then it occurred to me... Maybe you were visiting miss Aerith."

Ava nearly jumped. Ephemer knew her too well. He was just shy of hitting the nail on the head.

"But I already knew the dark corridors weren't opening there," Ephemer continued, his face scrunching up in frustration. "I had my gummiphone the whole time, and Skuld kept me updated. But I was worried. Maybe you were trapped there. Maybe something happened to you, and Master Gula had gone to rescue you and gotten wrapped up in it. I was trying to think of how I could get there, and I remembered Lady Yuna's star-shard. So I came back to borrow it, and I ran into Chirithy. They were searching through your bedroom for something."

_The gummiphones,_ Ava thought, face falling at the thought of Chirithy bouncing around her room.

"Chirithy almost never leaves your side," Ephemer stated, sounding almost angry. "But when I asked them where you were, they said they couldn't tell me. I got the star-shard from lady yuna, and I heard what happened to Lauriam. I asked Chirithy to tell me everything they could. We talked for a bit, then they helped me use the star-shard to get to you."

And then Ephemer had shown up on the island, unaware he was interrupting her honeymoon to deliver the worst possible news.

"Aerith and everyone in Radiant Garden," Ava said calmly, "They're all in danger. All because I... took Xehanort to Radiant Garden. If I had just stayed at my birthday party, this wouldn't be happening."

"Master, we've been over this," Lauriam said, comforting her. "You're not to blame-"

"I am," Ava interrupted. "At the very least, I'm partially responsible. I... Gave Xehanort the keyblade. Just as I gave it to all of you. So you could become wielders and stay by my side. But now..."

Xehanort. That small boy. No bigger than she, yet always so alone.

She wanted to spare him from that. So, she gave him her trust. Why did it have to come to this?

"If he is going to use his keyblade to hurt people," Ava said decisively as she lifted her head, "Then as his master, I need to put an end to that."

Her friends were speechless. Ephemer, especially, was so taken aback he leaned away.

"But, master," he spoke up, still breathless. "You said-"

"'Wielders must never fight each other,'" Ava recited, eyes glazed and lifeless. "'Clashing of hearts only breeds unspeakable disaster'. Yes, I know what I said. I will never forget those words mother taught me all those years ago. The words I shared with all of you, the dandelions, and Vulpes wielders. Those words will never leave me; they are engraved on my heart."

As much a part of her as her own keyblade. Impossible to forget. Precious.

"But Xehanort is ours, and mine," she continued, looking to her window. The curtains were drawn.

Was it sunny outside? Or raining? Whenever it rained, Gula became very sleepy. He would pass out on the ground, wherever he happened to be. He'd gotten a few bad colds that way. Once, the healers had refused to treat him, since they always warned him not to go walking on cloudy days.

She had nursed him back to health on those days.

Truthfully, she kinda liked it.

"Xehanort is our responsibility," she said wistfully. "Even if his goal is well-intentioned... This sort of means is inexcusable. We must stop him, whatever it takes. It won't be easy... He is more powerful than me. Which is why I need you to come with me."

"But how?" Eraqus asked, at a loss. "Without the dark corridors, how can we possibly get to him?"

Eraqus himself looked especially down. Everyone was putting on a brave face right now, him included. But it seemed it was just too much for him.

Ava felt especially selfish, then. She'd barely spared Eraqus a thought since her birthday party. Even when she'd heard Xehanort betrayed them, her thoughts were centered around Aerith and herself. Out of all of them, the person who spent the most time with Xehanort was Eraqus. Even before Ava met them, they'd spent a lot of time together.

"There is a way!" she said, beaming at Eraqus. He jumped in response, before Ava turned to Ephemer. "Weren't you saying you might know a way to get to Radiant Garden?"

"No," he answered bluntly, and she was thrown off until he caught himself. "Well, yes, but I'm not the one who knows. Chirithy is. They sent me to fetch you because apparently it's a spell she can only entrust to you."

"But Chirithy is... dispersed," Ava said, recalling how her Mother had explained Chirithy's current status. Scattered. Not whole. Bound to a single space, but not solid.

"Yes, but they are still able to speak," Ephemer explained, folding his arms over his chest. "Since their 'consciousness' isn't bound to their 'physical form.'"

Lauriam shrunk back, face twisted up with skepticism.

"'Consciousness unbound to physical form?'" he questioned. "What does that even mean?"

"Ah, well..." Ephemer scratched the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. "I'm not entirely sure? In any case, Chirithy is still able to speak and would like to speak to Ava. They spoke directly into my mind, just before being sealed up in that room."

"I understand," Ava said, walking briskly past Lauriam and Ephemer. "In that case, let's go speak to them now. We don't have time for dawdling or resting."

"Master, please wait a moment!" Skuld asked, hand flying up to snag Ava's arm. "Forgive me for interrupting, but I have information for you as well. Eraqus and I interrogated the prisoner."

Ava froze mid-step, half-looking over her shoulder at Skuld and Eraqus. Only then did she notice Eraqus was... visibly shaking, and appeared ill. He was green and turning blue.

"Of course... given our information source, we might be wrong," Skuld continued, gripping Ava's wrist. "He could easily be lying to trick us, but... We may have learned what Xehanort is trying to do."

* * *

"It's this room?" Ava asked, pleasantly curious.

She stood on her tiptoes, leaning forward with the fingers of both hands lightly brushing against the thick, ancient, oaken double doors. Spinning quietly over the doors was a single sealing circle alive and aglow with magic, wide enough in diameter that it nearly reached the door frame. It bore symbols from both Scala and her father's homeworld. Ava knew who sealed these doors.

Her mother, Yuna.

Naturally Ava was fluent in the language of her people, and knew enough of her father's original language to be able to deduce the magic's purpose. This one spell was meant to keep people out. Which meant the spell to bind Chirithy's light and restore it to a single entity was likely inside.

"Can we enter, Master?" Lauriam questioned.

Ava looked to him. He and her other Oathkeepers appeared concerned.

"Yes," Ava nodded, and peered up at the circle. "But if it's alright, I would like it if all of you would wait for me out here."

Three of her friends jumped, albeit subtly. Ephemer didn't look terribly surprised.

"Of course, Ava," he replied, glancing at the circle with distaste. "But can I ask why?"

"There's something Chirithy and I must discuss. Alone," Ava answered, sliding her hands over the wood as her eyes zigzagged up, taking in the spells instructions. "I'm sorry I'm being so secretive. I promise you'll understand later, I just... I need to be careful right now."

She wanted to tell her mother and father. More than anything, she wanted to lay her head down in Yuna's lap, and let Tidus stroke her hair, like they used to when she was a small child. But doing that would require explaining everything, and she couldn't take that leap yet. Not now.

Right now, the most important thing was Radiant Garden.

She was taking this so personally. Even if it was personal, she was Keyblade Master and Princess to the most powerful nation in the known universe. She should've been impartial. But even if she told herself she was only doing her duty, that was a lie.

All she cared about was rescuing Aerith, reuniting with Gula, and finding Xehanort.

"I'll return shortly," she promised, offering them a smile with all the strength she could muster. "Please wait here a moment."

She splayed her fingers and rested her head against the door. In a voice too low for anyone but her to hear, she whispered a counter spell, and felt the seal on the door dissolve and fall away as gold dust. Without the magic circle to bind them shut, a gentle nudge from Ava had one door creaking open.

She felt called by Chirithy, even though they were quiet, and smiled to herself. With Chirithy near, she felt steadier. Stronger.

She stepped inside and shut the doors behind her. They were thick, and the very structure of this room was soundproof.

This was the abandoned music room, located in the lowest tower closest to the sea. When she and Gula were children, this was their first rendezvous point. They used to hide notes for each other in the books that lined the walls. Sometimes they would play games or study together, sharing snacks and lunch boxes. Once, they were almost caught and had to hide, so they ended up changing their meeting place after that.

Ava walked to the far end of the room and pulled the curtains up. Warm sunlight illuminated the dank, dust-covered chamber- moth-bitten book spines lined up within molted cream-colored shelves... Worn emerald-green carpet and matching curtains... Damaged instruments gathered together against one wall, hiding some of the books...

A magic circle on the ceiling, turning counterclockwise...

And a thick, glimmering fog hanging over everything.

"Did they shut you up in here, Chirithy?" Ava teased, crossing her arms.

"There wasn't much choice," the fog, Chirithy's pure light form, answered back. "This was the closest empty room."

Ava ducked her head and eyed the instruments, trying to appear as if she were reminiscing. Chirithy couldn't lie, but they could bend the truth in some situations. This room was the closest empty one. In a crisis like this, the closer, larger chambers which surrounded the throne room would all be occupied. But something told her Chirithy had specifically requested Yuna seal them in here, in this room full of memories.

Memories of her and Gula, and their love for each other. The tender, innocent affection of their childhood days and the sweet passion of their recent years.

"Chirithy, I..." Ava faltered, closed her mouth, shoulders dropping and eyes squinting in pain. "I need a way to get to Radiant Garden."

Ava clenched her fists to her chest, leaning over them.

"The dark corridors won't open. You have another way, don't you?"

She watched the glimmering dust, slowly shifting in the air like cloud vapor, hoping for a response.

"Master, I do have a way," Chirithy spoke carefully. "But... you only get one stop."

"What do you mean?" Ava asked, feeling like the gentleness in Chirithy's voice would cause her to crack and break.

"Lady Yuna's summoning circle," Chirithy said, a portion of the glimmering dust molding into a palm-sized magic circle before Ava's eyes. "It's a part of me, and I know lots of magic not taught to keyblade wielders. So of course I can use her summoning magic, in ways she never thought of. If I just rearrange a few of the symbols, I can easily use this to 'send' instead of 'receive'."

"That's amazing! But then, why didn't you say so sooner?"

"It's difficult," Chirithy answered reluctantly. "I can really only manage it in this form. Besides, it's an especially difficult, foreign magic. Using it requires almost all my magic power and all of my concentration, and even then there are catches. A time limit, for one thing."

"Time limit..." Ava repeated, as the gears turned in her head.

Time limit.

One stop only.

"...Oh..." she said, sinking to the floor. "Oh, I see."

She only had one stop, so she had to go immediately to where she was needed the most, to Radiant Garden.

If she chose to go to Destiny Island, where Gula was waiting for her, then they would need to take a boat to Radiant Garden from there. But in the time it would take them to get from Destiny Island to Radiant Garden, days would pass.

Who knew what Xehanort could do to Aerith and the rest of the townsfolk during that time?

"Ava, the time limit..." Chirithy said, her warmth encircling Ava like a blanket, "Even if I sacrificed my physical form, and used all my strength, the most I could give you is twelve hours."

Ava shook her head. Chirithy wasn't to be sacrificed under any circumstances.

"How long can you give me without doing that?"

"Six hours." Chirithy answered.

Six hours. Six hours to do everything that she needed to do. She didn't even know where Aerith was, where they would be keeping her. It went without saying Xehanort wouldn't tell her.

_Xehanort is looking for a Pure Heart_, Skuld had mentioned on their way down to the abandoned music room, _Among the children of Radiant Garden. Braig, his copycat, said Xehanort was experimenting on all the children in the city._

Aerith was with child. If her baby turned out to be the one Xehanort was looking for, what would become of them? What exactly were these experiments? Ava couldn't bare to imagine them.

Suddenly, she felt so frightened. She didn't want to go there without Gula by her side. With only her Oathkeepers, she would need to act as the leader. She would need to be strong, no matter what she saw or experienced. Even if she arrived too late, even if Xehanort got away, even if she returned with nothing in her hands.

She would be going without Gula, even though they promised to face everything together from now on.

She would break that promise, so soon after she made it. The only other option would be to give up and do nothing.

But if she did that, Zack and Aerith might die.

What would she say to Gula when she saw him again? What sort of face would he make? Would he be disappointed in her?

She looked outside the windows, at the rising sun.

Yesterday was the best day of her life.

Today was the worst.

"Take me there," she decided, placing her hand over her eyes and combing her hair back. "Take us all there, Chirithy. I have someone to find."

* * *

Deep within Radiant Garden's castle, Aerith was losing hope.

Two minutes.

She barely lasted two minutes after escaping from the church, leaving Zack behind in the process.

No sooner did she round the first corner, was she cut off by the two men she'd presumably buried when she sabotaged the spiral staircase. The one who'd appeared behind had pulled her legs out from under her. Her head must've hit a rock or something, because that was the last thing she could remember before waking up in this dark, empty, windowless cell.

Her ankles and wrists were bound, connected to the wall by heavy chains. What little she could see was illuminated by the fluorescent light bleeding through the barred window of her cell door. The walls and floors hummed, as if energy was running through them.

She could hear others in the cells beside and across from her. They all sounded like women or children.

One of them was screaming- heaving great, empty wails of despair. Aerith had listened hopelessly as someone she didn't recognize came and dragged the woman's child away.

Aerith held herself together in a tight little ball, trying to think of a way to escape. She knew how to pick locks, but her hair was down now. Whoever brought her here had relieved her of her hairpins. The floor was smooth and empty. She'd already tried to twist her feet and hands free, but it was a chore in futility.

The life within her stirred and she fought to keep her composure.

"Don't worry," she promised, pulling herself into a tighter ball. "Zack and Ava... are definitely coming for us."

* * *

"You'll only have six hours," Chirithy, still fog, reminded them for the third time. "Do you have everything you need?"

Ava giggled fondly over Chirithy's nitpicking. She and her Oathkeepers were all gathered together in the music room now. Everyone had checked, double-checked, and triple-checked their equipment. Since they wouldn't be able to visit the moogle shops in Radiant Garden, they each stuffed their pockets with potions, panaceas, and other items. There was no time to go and fetch better armor, but they had ethers so they could keep using their shields for a fixed time.

"We can't carry much more than this, Chirithy," Ava stated with a shrug. "We'll just have to make do."

"Okay. But, Master, that outfit..." Chirithy began.

Ava folded her hands over her chest. The knee-high lace-up boots, the halter-neck top with a pink hood, the denim shorts with the pleated white-and-blue half-skirt... These were the clothes her mother had worn to disguise herself in Tidus's world.

"Yes, I'm sure," Ava replied, folding her arms behind her back and tilting her head with a smile. "However unbecoming it is, I really can't stand to hide my face today. So I'll be borrowing these clothes. I'll have to be careful not to damage them."

"You'll be fine. Your mother fought the beasts of Spira in that attire," Chirithy said. "They've been mended many times."

Ava could tell. These were worn and comfortable, covered in little stitch-patterns.

"You look beautiful, Master," Chirithy complimented, causing Ava to blush.

She lightly tossed some of her red hair back. Perhaps she could borrow this outfit again, when she returned with Gula. They could go places together, without their masks, hand in hand.

"Thank you," Ava said, knitting her brow and hesitating. "We... should get going now. Please send us."

"Ava, wait!" Chirithy begged, startling Ava.

Hardly anyone called her by name alone. Chirithy had almost always called her 'princess' or 'master'. Hearing anything else from them was so pleasant and endearing, it made Ava want to hold Chirithy. If only she could.

"Ava, I love you," Chirithy told her, so earnest and upfront, "I love you so very much. So please, come back safe."

Ava smiled, eyes glistening as she lowered her head.

How many times had she said that to Chirithy over the years? When did she get used to not hearing it back? How had she ever thought Chirithy's role meant more to them than Ava did?

Everyone had their own responsibilities.

But nonetheless... feelings still existed. Loving others and needing them to be safe, and knowing they might not be. What role could compete with that?

"I love you too, Chirithy," Ava said, turning and holding her hands out to Lauriam and Skuld. "Of course I'll come back. You have my word."

Ephemer and Eraqus linked hands with Lauriam and Skuld respectively, then each other. Now standing together in a circle. They all nodded together, knowing in their hearts that they believed in what they were doing. They would find Aerith, stop Xehanort, and set Radiant Garden free.

They would all return together.

"Remember the time-limit," Chirithy said once more.

Ava turned her hand, still joined with Lauriam's, over to get a peek at the clock. A simple clock, displaying hours and minutes in bold-red font. Currently stopped at six hours. Once it hit zero, the same seal used to send them to Radiant Garden would erupt at the time-bearer's feet and whisk everyone within range back to Scala.

"Six hours. No more. Please be careful..." Chirithy said.

The five of them braced themselves. Travelling by these means was dangerous and draining. Chirithy would expend extra energy to lessen the strain, but they would each have to down an elixir the minute they reached their destination.

They shut their eyes...

...Hands gripping each other tight.

_Remember what you're fighting for,_ Ava told herself.

The people of Radiant Garden who were frightened... The children who were in danger... Aerith and Zack who were waiting for her... The wielders stationed there, whom they'd been unable to contact in almost forty hours...

"Good luck," Chirithy wished.

Even for them, it was sudden. A magic circle, very similar to the one Yuna used to summon her here from Destiny Island, came into being beneath their feet. The symbols were different and the dream eater emblem was at the center. The circle was gold instead of red. This felt nothing at all like the reckless summoning Yuna had chosen to use, risking three lives to do so. Chirithy was in control.

Ava shut her eyes and leaned her head back.

There was a blip, a noise so quiet yet it echoed. Like a shift in wind, they were there with Chirithy in the music room, and then they were gone. Being pulled together through space and time and appearing in the blue-blue sky.

Without losing their grip on each other, they fell through the clouds towards the earth. Like a disc in the wind.

Far, far below, the city of Radiant Garden awaited them.


	5. Where Sleep and Death Touch

Their rough-and-tumble swan dive into Radiant Garden could have turned out worse. Had it not been for Ephemer, who slowed their descent, and Skuld, who sheltered them during their crash-landing, they would not have survived.

Still, the lack of discretion lit a fire under everyone. Bruised -and in Eraqus' case, bleeding- they scurried away from the splintered remains of what used to be someone's home and networked their way through the abandoned streets.

As she ran, Ava jerked her head left and right. They were in the eastern sector of the city, a domestic location occupied by family dwellings. Ordinarily, there would be women hanging up laundry and children playing in the streets. Music would play through open windows. The mouth-watering aromas of fresh bread and stew would rise up from chimneys. Booths would be set up here and there, selling pastries or candles or new shoes.

Instead, the area was in shambles. Stones were blown clear out of the street, laying overturned in heaps around small ground depressions. Smoke hung heavy in the air, the result of kitchen stoves and home hearths left unattended. Many structures now lay in splintered, charcoaled remains. Doors hung off their hinges and windows were smashed.

As for the people, they were nowhere in sight.

Over the last decade, Ava had asked many Dandelions to take up residence in Radiant Garden for various reasons. That was to say, this particular district's population was eighty-percent wielders. A few of them were even married with children. At that thought, a pair of twin boys came to mind, both of whom spent most of their allowance on Aerith's flowers.

At that point, Ava spotted a single open window. A glass vase holding one of Aerith's lilies rested on the sill.

She made a beeline for the home. Her friends followed her, leaping in over the busted patio, into the empty quietude of the deserted structure.

For a moment, their group knelt in a circle over the oaken floor, gathering their bearings. Once she caught her breath, Ava immediately noticed the warm, coppery smell of blood hanging thick in the air.

"Eraqus?" she called as she reached for him, blind and searching. Ephemer called on fira, lighting the end of his keyblade like a torch, and Ava immediately threw herself over her fallen friend.

"Eraqus!" she cried, cupping her hand over the back of his neck. She felt the blood in his hair, and when she turned her palm over, found it painted red.

Lauriam was closest, and acted quickly. Before Ava had even felt Eraqus' neck, Lauriam had uncorked an elixir. He was careful, pulling Eraqus' chin down and letting the elixir drain into his mouth without turning him over. A moment of breathless silence passed before their companion opened his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he blurted out as he pushed himself up.

Ava threw her arms around him. "No. I should have noticed."

"Forgive me," Skuld said, moving forward to hold both Ava and Eraqus. "If I'd been quicker with the shield-"

Laur cut her off, hugging the three of them and laying his head over Skuld's.

They remained that way, huddled together, breathing each other in and taking comfort in the fact that despite where they were, or why they were here, they were together.

After a moment though, Ava felt something akin to a chill race up her spine. Her eyes cracked open, and she tilted her chin up to glare a hole through the ceiling.

Invisible to the eye or not, she felt someone watching her from afar. A cold, familiar gaze that was both comforting and crushing.

"Up, everyone," she ordered, startling her three companions with a voice like ice. "We haven't the time for this."

She whirled and stalked past Ephemer, who stood by with a blank expression and his arms crossed over his chest as Ava approached the window.

Her friends were quiet, letting her concentrate as she pulled her gummiphone from her pocket and scrolled through her items. Halfway down she found the item labeled _Sylva's Present _and held her phone out before selecting it. A glowing blue cone of grid lines spun out of her phone screen, into the air. Ava watched as a pearl of sea glass appeared within the cone. Once it was fully materialized, she plucked it out of the air with her free hand.

"What is that?" Skuld asked.

"A birthday present," Ava answered, twirling the pearl between her fingers, "From Sylva. I found it in my room, in a pile with other presents."

"Sylva... As in Sylva Via Fleuret?" Lauriam asked in astonishment. "Then... is that...?"

"A crystal," Ava explained, and quietly took the lily from the vase. "Sylva sealed a bit of her power within, and gifted it to me. In case of an emergency."

Ava pinched the crystal, crushed it, and sprinkled the remains over the lily.

Her friends were quiet, letting her concentrate as she cradled the flower in her hands, gently lacing her fingers together without squashing the petals. She bowed her head, pressing the bridge of her nose over her knuckles and furrowing her brow as she tried to picture Aerith in her mind- her laughter, the feel of her hand, the way her long, brown hair used to be blown by the wind into Ava's face.

Right, she used to wear it down all the time. But it was always snagging on everything. When they were girls, some drunk old men yanked on it, lifting her into the air. Zack and Tifa beat the bastards black and blue while Cloud held Ava back.

_You can't be here twenty-four-seven,_ Cloud had said reasonably, _Let us handle this ourselves._

Ava wanted to respect their wishes, so she let them fight their own battles... Usually.

Zack, Cloud and Tifa became strong. Aerith, too, learned magic. But it was solely for self-defense. From then on she always wore her hair in a braid and there was a time when she stopped smiling.

Until Zack bought her the pink ribbon. Aerith was pleased, but claimed she didn't have anything to give in return.

_Okay!_ Zack said with confidence. _You can just date me. Then we'll be even._

_Date? You're silly,_ was Aerith's reply.

Zack pouted, his confidence ruined, while his friends laughed at him.

_Someone's been rejected! _Ava teased.

_Rejected, rejected! _Tifa taunted.

Cloud alone expressed mild sympathy, and busied himself by turning fish over a smoking grill while sneaking short glances at Tifa.

As Ava immersed herself in the memories of her friends she started to feel a warm, familiar light calling to her, pulling her in a single direction. She felt Aerith there, one of the hearts she was seeking. But...

Where was Zack?

She concentrated a moment longer, choosing to focus on Zack instead of Aerith. But the longer she stood there, trying and failing to feel him, the more anxious she felt.

Perhaps she wasn't tracing the connection properly. Even Aerith's warmth felt faint, almost like candlelight.

Zack was probably hidden within the castle with Aerith... Or he was biding his time somewhere, trying to come up with a plan.

Ava lifted her head. "Aerith is in the castle basement."

"Let's go, then," Ephemer said decisively. In a flourish of light, his keyblade appeared in hand.

Ava quickly followed suit, summoning her own with a flick of the wrist. Four pairs of eyes immediately noticed the difference.

Instead of pastel cloud and wave patterns...

...The swift, intimidating blood-red blade from her recent elopement greeted them.

Ava felt a bead of sweat trail the back of her neck.

"Master, your keyblade..." Skuld said, tilting her head and pinching her chin. "Did you borrow one of Master Gula's keychains?"

Ava felt a swell of gratitude for Skuld. Her observation was untrue, but the perfect cover story. She turned her key over and ran her hand under the red chain to pinch the paopu token.

"Yes," she replied, free hand dropping away from the token while her other hand tightened around the hilt. "My keyblade is damaged. The keychain's power will help hold it together a while longer."

"Does Master Gula know you have one of his keychains?" Laur pressed, folding his hands over his chest.

"It'll return before it's missed," Ava replied with a smirk and a wink.

Another lie. Then again, even if she had borrowed something of Gula's, he'd forgive her. She could be very persuasive where Gula was concerned.

"Remember, our top priority is freeing the hostages from Xehanort's experiments," she stated. "If we're unable to subdue Xehanort then... Well, you know what to do. Now, let's go."

* * *

The closer they got to Castle Radiant, the more uneasy Ava felt.

The stench of blood was stronger here- more prominent. It cut through the smoke and flooded Ava's nostrils. She and her friends held their breath, moving as one towards their destination. All the while Ava ignored the crushing dread that was not unlike spiders climbing up the back of her neck.

Ava was a veteran wielder who'd traversed many worlds. Not one of them held a utopian society. Darkness could be found in every world. Over time she'd grown accustomed to facing that darkness- no matter what form it took.

But something vile was going on here- an evil she was unfamiliar with, a wickedness that left her breathless and weak-kneed.

They came to a stop inside an alleyway that looked out onto the castle gardens, each of them sweating and varying shades of green. Her companions felt the disturbance too, apparently.

But despite that, Ava was hypnotized by the castle. Somewhere beneath it was Aerith- pregnant, frightened, and alone.

Without warning, Ephemer's hand closed around her wrist. Ava jolted awake, looking back at him as he carefully pulled her back into the alleyway. Subconsciously she had moved forward, out into the open.

Ava watched Ephemer's eyes flit over the gardens- never lingering on any one spot, seemingly searching for a danger he could feel but not see.

"What is it?" she whispered, but he held his hand up.

They all waited in breathless silence.

Ephemer's flickering gaze came to a stop. Ava saw how his pupils shrank in abject terror, an expression she'd never seen him display.

Time seemed to slow down as he and Skuld looked at each other in seamless unison.

Ava felt a rush of frigid air blow her hair out in front of her, and whirled just in time to see a clawed hand close in on her.

_"SHELTER!" _Skuld shrieked.

A shield of transparent hexagons enveloped them. The clawed hands, mere centimeters from Ava's heart, bounced off, and the creature they belonged to was thrown back.

Each of her companions summoned their keyblades, and Laur threw his shoulder against the shield so they rolled out of the alleyway and into the gardens. The hostile creatures attacked en masse, too fast in their movements to be seen with the naked eye, raking their claws against the shield which slowly cracked under the pressure.

Ava focused on the creatures, waiting for them to be still long enough for her to get a good look at them. More appeared out of thin air, using magic similar to Chirithy's, and in seconds Ava and her companions were surrounded.

"Lux... Lux..." the creatures called in their weak, wispy voices.

Ava leaned away, her heart sinking in despair.

"No..." she said, eyes widening to take in the sight.

A countless number of the clawed, horned creatures of darkness had come to greet them. The sort of monsters Ava had only ever seen in history books. The stuff of fairytales now made real.

"Darklings," Ephemer said, sweeping his gaze over their enemies.

Not all of them. Many of the dark creatures were shaped differently, like animals or large ants. They bounced around the shield, attacking without warning, their actions unpredictable. Like the soulless monsters they were.

"Heartless, too," Skuld said, curling her fist over her mouth.

"I guess we know what happened to the wielders who lived here," Laur stated, expression grim. "Most of the townsfolk, too, from the looks of it."

A massive shadow rushed towards them, colliding with the shelter. Skuld screamed as her shield shuddered violently, a large crack spreading from one side to the other. Ava caught her and held her up, while Ephemer raised his keyblade and erected another barrier around Skuld's.

This heartless resembled a minotaur, and was about twice Lauriam's height. It dug its hooves into the soil, as if preparing to charge again.

"We won't last like this! We need a plan!" Eraqus shouted.

"We already have one!" Ava stated as she pulled a red hairband from her pocket. She felt four pairs of eyes flicker to and away from her as she gathered the front locks of her hair back into a half-updo. "Ephemer, Skuld, on my signal drop the shields! Lauriam, Eraqus, I need you to help me clear a path to the castle!"

"We're gonna make a run for it?!" Eraqus questioned with heavy skepticism. "Master, there's too many of them! We'll never be able to outrun them. We'll just lead them straight to Xehanort's victims-"

Ava clapped her hands on his shoulders and turned him around, forcing him to look at her.

_"I'm_ making a run for it," she clarified. "I need the rest of you to stay here! Keep fighting until there's nothing left to follow us!"

"Master," Skuld called forcefully, "With all due respect, these creatures were people once-"

"Well they're _not_ anymore!" Ava replied. "So do what you _must_. Set their hearts _free_. Help me. I must get into that castle."

Quickly, she shared with Lauriam and Eraqus her idea for creating a path to the castle gate. The three of them gathered together shoulder to shoulder, raising their keyblades and bringing each key's end to a point. Ava raised her free hand, and snapped her fingers.

At that, Ephemer and Skuld dismissed their respective shields. While the monsters stayed back, perhaps in confusion, Lauriam, Eraqus, and Ava cast blizzaga. From their feet a bridge of ice sprouted, complete with barrier walls. It curved in an arc, reaching fifty meters into the air before touching down at the castle gates. Gates which were presently out of sight, but not for long.

Ava opened her palm as her companions guarded against the horde.

"Find me in two hours!" she commanded, hopping onto the ice bridge. "But whatever you do, don't lead these creatures to the hostages!"

"Yes, Master!" all but Ephemer replied, and together the four of them broke off to cull the herd.

Ava held her keyblade at her side and propelled herself up the arc using wind. She rode the bridge over the gardens, risking one chance to look back at her companions.

They were hopelessly outnumbered. And for being among the best of their generation, no one had fought heartless or darklings since ancient times. But they would be fine. They took care of each other. Still, she kept her eyes on them until they were out of sight.

As she looked away, she caught sight of the castle gates. More specifically, the stone courtyard in front of the gates which was always under twenty-four-hour guard- save for now.

Ava choked at the sight, forgetting to keep casting her magic. She slipped on the ice and dropped onto the landing interceding a flight of stairs. Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself to her feet and rushed up the stairs to the courtyard, coming to an abrupt halt at the top.

She looked.

And looked and looked...

Her teeth pressed over her bottom lip until she tasted blood. She tried to blink the burning heat from her eyes as tears spilled over.

Cool gray eyes flickered through her memory. She could almost feel warm, dark-skinned fingers brush her tears away. He would always find her when she cried, no matter where she hid.

_Master? You're crying,_ he would say. _What happened? Did the other foretellers say something to you?_

"Zay, how could you...?" she couldn't help but ask.

Though he wasn't anywhere in sight.

The only people before her were the dead kind.

Bodies littered the ground, all of them belonging to Radiant Garden citizens. They'd been severely wounded, and seemed to have bled to death, for the ground beneath them was painted red. Ava was even standing in a shallow puddle of-

She hissed, cringing and shaking her head to bat the thought away.

Her eyes fell on one of the men, his fist still gripping a shovel. Other farming tools laid between the dead.

Not many owned weapons in a city known for lasting peace.

But there was one weapon- a long, broad, familiar sword. Having fallen haphazardly into the ground, it stuck up as if to greet her. It too was painted red, and stood in the light of the open castle gates so that a long shadow stretched over the courtyard to touch Ava's toes.

The sight of it made her ears ring and her blood run cold. For laid out, directly behind the blade, was a young man.

With dark hair.

And armor.

From here she could see he neither moved nor breathed. She felt the gravity of that knowledge rush up at her, but refused to let it touch her.

No matter what she saw, or what she felt, she had to keep going.

Instead, she forced herself to move forward, taking care not to step on anyone. Her legs might have been filled with sand for how difficult it was, but eventually she came to stand by his side. Despite her agony, she forced herself to kneel and look at him.

He appeared to have died from blood loss, given the severity of his wounds. One arm was stretched further, as if he had passed on while reaching out for something.

Or someone.

Ava curled her lips back and knelt, gently closing his eyes. As she attempted to rise, a broken whimper ripped its way up her throat, and warm tears trickled from her eyes. She clapped her hands over her mouth and curled into a ball.

An infinite number of images flashed through her mind. Immeasurable values of fury, anguish, and regret whirled within her like a cyclone, and her muffled screams echoed through the courtyard.

Her legs buckled, and she dropped to her hands and knees beside Zack. She shook her head, and mentally told herself to _get up. _But it was no good.

After what seemed like an eternity, she pried her red, swollen, puffy eyes open. Weak and exhausted, she found herself looking at the buster sword.

Once again, she looked at Zack's outstretched hand.

And back at the deceased Radiant Garden citizens.

Now that she paused and took a good look at them she actually recognized many. A few were Aerith's regulars, but everyone else...

Ava breathed a sigh of exhaustion and felt she understood what had happened. Everyone here must have family who were taken by Xehanort. Zack was so strong, and a former soldier. His pregnant wife was taken from him, so he gathered together others and came here to storm the castle. But Xehanort was so strong, and they didn't get very far.

Except these wounds... They didn't appear to have been made by a keyblade. Not necessarily...

Ava curled her fists over the pavement, ignoring the sting of her skin scraping against stone.

If she sat any longer she would run out of time. Zack and the others would have died for nothing. The labors of her Oathkeepers would be in vain. Zack and Aerith's child, as well as the children of many others, would be lost.

"Get. Up!" she scolded herself, another tear escaping her.

Her keyblade appeared within her clenched fist, and she gasped at the sight of it. She looked at the paopu token.

_Gula..._

She longed for his embrace. When they were together, she felt warm and safe. Here she was cold and frightened.

But this wasn't about her.

And whether or not she returned to Gula... wasn't what mattered the most right now.

She was a keyblade master, and there were people who needed saving.

She pushed herself to her feet and pulled the buster sword out of the ground. After giving Zack one last, regretful look, she went marching into the castle.

* * *

Having sealed the buster sword to her back with magnera, Ava traversed deeper into the castle. She found the halls abandoned of any security or presence. Even the council, the six apprentices, were nowhere to be seen.

She found Ansem the Wise in his laboratory...

...With a massive claymore stabbed through his chest, pinning him to the ground.

Dull orange eyes stared out into the emptiness of the unknown, lower lids still wet with tears.

Ava knelt in the lab's entrance and placed a hand over his cheek. He was ice cold and firm as stone, leading her to believe he'd been lying there for a long time.

Having seen Zack, not much phased her now. But she couldn't help but remember this man, who was infamous for his sweet tooth, and who had often treated her and Aerith to ice cream during their visits to the castle.

"Explain yourself, Xehanort," she ordered without taking her eyes off Ansem's face.

Xehanort stood leaning over the control monitor and looking through the wide glass window which separated him from the manufactory.

When he didn't respond, Ava peered out at him from behind disheveled red hair. At the same time, piercing gold eyes swiveled to meet hers.

"My sweet-tempered master seems enraged for once."

"Don't patronize me!" Ava growled as she got to her feet and stepped over Ansem. "How dare you raise your keyblade against civilians. _What_ have you done to Aerith and the others?!"

As she spoke she marched closer to him until they were an arms-length apart. In terms of height, he had a few inches on her, a fact he'd often rubbed in her face over the last few years.

Why... did she have to remember that now?

Just being in the same room as him made her stomach drop away. She'd walked away from her friend -her dead friend- because of him. She should only have disgust and hatred for him... and yet, there was a part of her, no matter how small, which was relieved to see he still breathed.

"Xehanort..." she began, her voice trembling as she was unable to tear her mind away from Ansem and Zack's deaths.

"Already dropped the cute nickname?" he remarked, putting his hand on his hip.

"We both know this isn't cute," she asserted, feeling the weight of the buster sword against her back.

"Well, that hurts my feelings," Xehanort said with a shrug, and indeed there was a moment where pain contorted his face.

Ava watched as his shoulders relaxed, and he looked at her with... hope? Resolve? Bitterness? Regardless, he was reaching for her.

Her keyblade disappeared from one hand and reappeared in the other just in time for her to swat his hand back. He hissed in pain as they both retreated a step. He gripped his wrist and stared at his scratched palm before meeting her eye-to-eye.

"You would raise your keyblade against another wielder?" he asked, eyes shifting from one side to the next. "The lady queen would be disappointed."

"I'll do what I must," Ava declared, lowering her keyblade so she held it at her side. "Tell me what you've done to the children of this town. Where is Aerith? Give her to me, now!"

Xehanort turned his head and narrowed his eyes at her.

"Enough pontificating, Ava," he ordered, tone chilling and direct. "You're not here for status, or to fulfill some noble quest. You've always been a little selfish. That's why the other foretellers could never trust you fully."

Ava glowered at him while her keyblade seemed to increase in weight.

"You invest too much of yourself in others," he accused. "You pick favorites. Even though you often told the Oathkeepers you trusted us all implicitly... it was obvious you placed more faith in Ephemer than in Lauriam, Eraqus, Skuld, or I."

"That's not true!" Ava argued.

"Right now your favorite is Aerith," Xehanort continued seamlessly. "You claim to have come in order to rescue _everyone_. But if Aerith were safe, you wouldn't have rushed in here against the wishes of their majesties and the foretellers. You wouldn't have left Eraqus and the others behind to fend for themselves."

Ava felt herself start to tremble, but grit her teeth and steeled herself.

"I'm sure you do care about the fate of this town," Xehanort said as he turned his head, looking once more upon the manufactory. "You're also too kindhearted to leave a bunch of children and pregnant women to me and my research. But you are here now, alone with _me_, because of Aerith and _her_ child."

_"Enough,_" she snapped. "You left me no other choice, and you know it!"

In a situation like this, she should've sought clearance to move all the dandelions from Scala to Radiant Garden. Coming here with only her remaining companions... was risky.

But in order for that to happen, the foretellers and the royal family would have to agree to declare a state of emergency. Those two sides rarely agreed on anything. But in this situation, where their enemy was a fellow wielder, Ava couldn't see Yuna taking her side.

"Master... I'm not doing any of this to hurt you," Xehanort admitted. "Actually, it is in fact the opposite. I do all this for you."

Ava whipped her head up and stared at him in disbelief. Were her ears failing her? Was that a _joke?_

Gold eyes stared her down with conviction and finality.

"All for me?" she asked, feeling her bitterness and hate rise to a boiling point. _"Just when did I ask for any of this?!"_

"You would never ask. That's why I had to trick you," Xehanort answered point-blank.

Confusion and rage warred across Ava's face, and she bit back a hiss as blood burned beneath her skin.

"I know, Ava," Xehanort said, so sincere and honest it stunned her into almost dropping her keyblade.

Know? Know what? Gula? Paopus. Promises. Blood burned in her cheeks, the world spun like a top around her and then-

"Your true role."

-Came to a screeching halt.

Ava's ears whistled. Thoughts of _Aerith, Gula, Ephemer _were temporarily washed from her mind, caught by a riptide of truth. She attempted to hide her emotions, but her body betrayed her when her arms twitched and her fingers and lips went numb, turning blue.

"To raise the dandelions," she recited automatically. "To lead the next generation of Keyblade Wielders."

"Yes, I know that's what they've _told_ you to say," Xehanort said in disgust. "The foretellers. Their Majesties. Even Chirithy. But I know what your role is, and what it's doing to you. And I won't allow it. If the foundation of this reality is built upon your sacrifices, then I swear... in your name... I will obliterate that foundation."

A cold silence passed. Perhaps the longest moment of her life. When it was over, the rage and pain had faded from Xehanort, and he was looking at her as he always had before. With love, care, and concern.

"However, if I took my time, I would still lose you," he explained, and she detected a hint of regret. "So I must resort to drastic measures. To destroy the system which the Master of Masters established, you must tip the scales in my favor. Unfortunately, you yourself are a contingency of that system. But if I destroy the one pillar that _can die,_ the seven pure hearts, then I will succeed. Your life will be spared..."

Ava watched as Xehanort slowly raised one hand, and placed it over his heart.

"And so will our lives."

Ava stared at him with trembling eyes. She understood now.

She shook her head and breathed a low sigh, full of anguish.

"No," she spoke with heavy disappointment . "Zay, I don't want that. What you're trying to do is wrong! And it _isn't_ in my name. You're not respecting _my_ wishes. I don't need you to take drastic measures to 'save' me. I can save myself. I already have!"

Her Oathkeepers' companionship.

Gula's love.

Aerith's friendship.

These were her salvation.

"I don't need to live forever," she said, fisting her hand over her heart. "I only want to live. You don't need to do any of this. Just stop. Release the hostages. Come back with me!"

"And if I refuse?" Xehanort questioned.

Ava's brow furrowed with determination.

"I am the princess of Scala ad Caelum," Ava said. "I took an oath to protect the worlds. If you truly intend to plunge every one of them into darkness, then my path is clear."

She gripped the hilt of her keyblade with both hands, and pulled her feet back into a ready stance.

"You seriously intend to cross blades with me?" Xehanort asked. "When we're both fully aware of what will happen if you do that?"

Ava held her keyblade tighter. She had trained Xehanort herself. They'd sparred before, using wooden keyblades. She had never been able to bring him to his knees, but neither had he ever landed a hit on her.

Even if she couldn't defeat him, all she had to do was get to the monitor, key in the password and-

Xehanort turned to the monitor. To her astonishment, he turned the computer on himself. A few keystrokes and exactly six passwords later, the door to the manufactory slid open.

"Come with me," he ordered, turning on his heel and heading for the door.

"W-what is this?" Ava asked in a demanding tone. "What are you doing?"

"Do you want to see your friend or not?" he asked, and nodded impatiently towards the door.

Slowly, her keyblade lowered. She opened her palm, taking note of the half hour she'd lost since leaving her companions in the gardens. They were so deep into the castle, she could no longer feel the subtle tremors reverberating from their battle.

Xehanort was baiting her. She knew that, but...

But if he intended to lead her to the hostages, then she had to go. Once she saw an opening, she could turn the tides and lead everyone to safety. She had to try.

The buster sword seemed to increase in weight, as if Zack himself was giving her a gentle push.

Without dismissing her keyblade, she took a deep breath and followed after Xehanort.

* * *

Xehanort led Ava to the manufactory's main floor. From there, they took an elevator.

Ava kept her distance, keeping to one wall while Xehanort kept to the other. At first they were silent. Ava's eyes were glued to Xehanort, waiting for him to try something. But his attention was focused on the view outside the clear elevator windows and the many decks they fell past as they were carried deep beneath the castle.

"How long is this going to take?" Ava demanded. "We've been in here for several minutes."

"The Chamber of Repose is located several hundred feet underground," Xehanort answered conversationally. "You can thank Ansem the Foolish for that."

Ava turned away from him in disgust. "...What's wrong with you? First you take a man's life -_several_ lives- and then you mock them? Even in death?"

"I'm not impressed by people who throw their lives away for nothing," Xehanort explained with a shrug. "Perhaps that's viewed as honorable to some. But if you die after struggling pointlessly, then you might as well have taken the coward's way out."

Ava clutched her wrist to keep from screaming. "You don't know _anything _about the people of this town. What they've been forced to endure... Is that why you killed so many people? So you could rub it in my face?"

Xehanort hesitated. However subtle, she saw how his eyes shifted from the floor, then to the window, before landing on her.

"...I _am_ sorry-" he started.

"_Don't_ tell me you're sorry," she spat.

"-About your friend. But he didn't give us much choice. There was no stopping him without dealing a fatal blow."

"You took his _family_ away from him," she reminded, shuddering internally at the memory of Zack's corpse.

"Well, you're welcome to take them back," Xehanort jested. "Along with who remains. If you can."

Ava grit her teeth and looked out the window. Each deck held identical corridors, and each corridor was lined with cells. With how slow the elevator was going, Ava was able to get a decent look with each passing level. The cell doors were made of metal, and each one had a barred window and a roman numeral painted on the front. The walls and floors of the corridors were stark white, with chain designs cutting a path down the hall- chains which glowed and dimmed rhythmically, as if linked to some magic or energy source.

"Why..." Ava started, then stopped.

She bit her lip as she wrestled with her thoughts. After everything Xehanort had proven himself capable of, she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

But she had to ask.

"Why aren't the dark corridors opening here?" she asked.

Xehanort arched an eyebrow at her, apparently surprised.

"The ancient light, while powerful, is not immortal," he said. "Kisala used her very life force to create the shield, but without another power source, it would've left this realm with her. So I had my associates search for the power source."

_The Lux Charger,_ Ava thought.

"About three months ago they finally found it," Xehanort continued. "They snuck me in from time to time so I could study it. Eventually I figured out how to tinker with the glyphs holding the magic together. Change a spell here, add a symbol there, and I was able to successfully flip the shield around. Now what's meant to be kept out can never leave, and vice versa."

Ava understood.

The light shield was now a dark barrier.

Ordinarily those with evil intentions towards the world and its people were kept out. Now they couldn't leave. And the dark corridors, while being essentially beacons of darkness, wouldn't cut through the light shield under these conditions. Not if they were opened by wielders who only wished to save the Hikari Archipelago from destruction.

A chime signaled their arrival, and the elevator doors whooshed open.

Ava stepped out and swept her eyes over the corridor. Though identical to the rest of those they'd passed, she now had the chance to examine one properly, and for some reason, the design of these underground paths was familiar...

Ava choked down a gasp.

"Yes," Xehanort said as he placed a gentle hand on her head. "It's identical to the darkling prison in Scala's castle."

Ava tensed. She felt the rush of a thousand heartbreaks -all the times the other foretellers scolded her, every time keeping her secret regarding Gula became too much, the sheer number of darklings and heartless outside the castle- and before she knew it, a scream of immeasurable frustration echoed through the hall. After a moment, she realized it had come from herself.

She whirled out from under Xehanort's touch, and slapped his hand away.

_"Don't touch me!"_ she yelled.

She did her best to sound angry, despite feeling like she might crumble. Xehanort looked at her in a way that made it clear he knew the truth.

"Let's go," he said, and proceeded to walk down the hall.

Ava clenched her fists until her arms began to fall numb. Tears came despite her wishes, and she turned away to press a fist over her temple.

"... Don't _touch_ me..." she repeated, shaking so intensely she should've shattered.

_Don't comfort me like it's just another day in Scala,_ she thought. _Don't act like someone else has hurt me and you've come to the rescue._

The memory of another, warmer touch came to mind, and a sudden but inexplicable sense of calm washed over her.

Gula.

One moment she was standing alone, hugging herself.

The next thing she knew, she was following Xehanort down the hall.

Although she moved... although her eyes remained open... her vision came and went like the tides. When she was conscious, she found it difficult to breathe or ignore how her heartbeat hammered away at her from the inside.

Something... A feeling... Or perhaps instinct... Was trying to shield her from the situation...

Keeping track of time was impossible. But after what felt like an eternity, Ava found herself standing before a pair of double doors. They were stark white, with feather-shaped handles set in a cloud-shaped frame and emblazoned with a large, shimmering crown.

The symbol of the Victoire de Scala bloodline- Ava's blood, and the Scala royal family.

Ava, barely conscious, stood clutching her hands over her heart. Trapped in a daze, she felt pulled by something- a presence unfamiliar to her. One which was so warm and comforting that she somehow felt safe.

Ava breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, she was herself again. She was awake. She had almost forgotten about Aerith and the others and that she had to reach them. But she was back, thanks to the soothing heart of someone waiting for her beyond the door.

Xehanort stood behind her. Ava knew he was there, even without looking. A voice in her head, which sounded a lot like her mother, scolded her for allowing her enemy to see her back. But she was enchanted by the magic that had saved her, and without thinking she pushed the double doors open.

The shimmering crown binding the doors together lost its light. Ava looked back at it as she stumbled in, before looking forward.

She saw a beautiful, blinding white room. In its center stood a throne, and surrounding that throne were dozens of women and children. Many of them were lifeless, lightless zombies- similar to how Ava had felt a moment ago. They were slumped over the floor or against each other, their eyes void of consciousness even as their chests rose and fell. Others were stiff, upright, holding themselves. Their fingers pressed so deeply into their very skin that bruises marred their flesh.

Those who were not yet lifeless were lost. They held one another, sat together in huddles weeping into their hands or arms. These people were injured, some worse than others, but nothing which indicated any sort of surgery or allergic reaction.

In the back of Ava's mind, gears were clicking into place.

Physically unharmed hostages.

Heartless and Darklings aplenty.

Ansem the Wise, pinned to the ground by a claymore.

But Ava -who had been searching wildly for someone- stopped abruptly when she finally noticed the person seated on the throne.

A young woman wearing a torn white dress sat with her legs folded to her chest and her head between her knees. Her long brown hair was down, falling over her shoulders like a warm blanket. Her fingers were a mess and her wrists were bruised, and her bare feet were badly scraped. But other than that she seemed alright.

_"Aerith!"_ Ava screamed and rushed forward, skidding to a stop when she came too close to the crowd. Anxiously, but with care, she began tiptoeing around everyone. As she made her way through, a few of those who were lost or lifeless reacted to her, lifting their heads one after another as a glimmer of hope became visible in their eyes.

"Aerith!" Ava cried as she embraced her. "I made it, I finally made it here! I'm so sorry. Are you okay? Are you-"

She pulled back, breaking off when she noticed the petrified, lightless state Aerith was in. Like Xehanort's other victims, she seemed to have retreated into herself. She lived and breathed, but was not present.

Ava's eyes flickered downward, to Aerith's belly. Ava could feel the heart of Aerith's child, and knew the baby was unharmed... for now. But Aerith herself, despite having wrapped her arms and legs around her torso as if to protect her baby, was only semi-conscious. Her skin was pale and chill to the touch. Her blue lips closed and parted rhythmically, repeating hushed words.

Ava, beside herself for her friend, leaned closer. She cupped a hand around her ear and listened close...

She heard the words, and felt as if the blade of a guillotine dropped down on her.

Her expression pained, she leaned away as her thoughts went to the sword attached to her back.

"'His voice, it's left me,'" Xehanort said, mockingly. "She's been repeating that now and again for the last few hours or so."

Ava leaned away, balling her fists over her stomach. She recognized this trance, and what it meant. It took an iron will to be able to pull yourself out of such a haze... But she couldn't be certain Aerith could summon such strength under such crushing grief.

If she didn't get her to Scala's healers, and quickly, both she and the child would be lost.

She opened her palm, and reeled from shock.

She had less than ten minutes left.

Ava pressed her palm over her temple, eyes shifting back and forth over the clock. How long had she been walking the corridor with Xehanort...? She could barely remember passing through it at all, even though she knew she must have.

Her Oathkeepers were still fighting in the gardens for all she knew.

She looked over the bleak, hopeless faces of the hostages. The glimmer of hope they'd begun to display when she entered the room was already starting to fade, because of her and the pitiful expression she was making.

She clutched her wrist and curled her fingers over the clock. The seal would open in seven minutes or so. If she didn't get these people to safety, all of this would have been for naught...

But Eraqus. Lauriam. Skuld. _Ephemer. _They would run out of supplies soon, and with the moogles gone...

"What are you going to do, Master?" Xehanort asked, looking a bit smug as she whirled to glower at him. "You're welcome to claim them if you want. But how do you expect to leave?"

She did possess an exit- that wasn't the problem. The problem was that she was about to leave her friends behind when Xehanort's associates were still at large.

But, no... something else wasn't right.

"Why are you giving them to me?" she demanded. "I thought you needed them for something. What are you after?"

"I already told you," Xehanort said, with almost childish disappointment. "The children of this town don't possess the light I'm looking for. It's a shame, really. So many lives lost for nothing."

Ava felt a surge of warmth, the same light which had pulled her from her haze before. Whose light was it? Where was it coming from?

"Even if you had found a Pure Heart here," Ava said, placing her curiosity on the back burner for now, "It wouldn't matter. You may be able to kill people, but light is energy. Even if you destroyed the mortal vessel, the light itself cannot be felled!"

He knew that. He _had_ to know that- for she had told him herself.

And yet, a smirk worked its way across Xehanort's face and filled Ava with a sickening dread. As her fear grew, so did the warmth which gave her courage.

"Do you seriously believe..." Xehanort began, "I would've gone to all this trouble... If I hadn't found a solution to that?"

Ava stared at him in abject terror.

"Y-You... know of a way... to kill light?" she asked, breathless. The warmth swelled around her, warming her skin and attempting to calm her heart.

At last she could ignore it's presence no further. She looked around her, and noticed a brilliant light was surrounding her. A pure, unfaltering, warm light. It had awoken her from her haze, and now was spread over the floor. It enveloped the hostages, like a fog.

Pure... Light...

"And now I must give you my thanks, Ava." Xehanort spoke with satisfaction. "As someone who is loved by the light, I had a feeling it would show itself should you approach."

Overwhelmed by an agitation she had never known in her life, Ava looked at the light resting so comfortably in her hands- as if nothing was wrong. As if there was nothing to even worry about.

Her eyes followed the light to where it was brightest...

...And found Aerith enveloped in a powerful glow.

Xehanort wasn't wrong.

A Pure Heart did exist in Radiant Garden

. The child of two of her closest friends possessed such light.

And Ava had led Xehanort straight to them.

A chilling wind rushed up at her.

Ava turned, lifting her head in time to see the back of Xehanort's hand. It clapped against the side of her skull, and knocked her away into the rounded, white wall.

She slid to the ground, dizzy as blood trailed from her temple and down her face. Through the pain and fury, Ava managed to lift her head.

She saw Xehanort standing before Aerith.

Aerith who was sitting helplessly in a grief-stricken daze.

And before Xehanort even summoned his keyblade, Ava had called upon hers.

And when he mercilessly brought it down upon Aerith, Ava shot to her feet and rushed forward.

Many things happened all at once. The double doors crashed open. Echoing pleas of dear friends mixed with the screams of Xehanort's hostages. Ava slid into place between Aerith and Xehanort, and lifted her keyblade.

_But above all, remember this,_ Yuna's voice rang in her ear. _Keyblade wielders must never fight each other. For if they do, a horrible tragedy, the likes of which we can scarcely imagine, will occur._

_"Ava!"_ Aerith shrieked, having apparently returned to herself at the worst possible time.

_I'm sorry_, Ava thought with grim acceptance, for there was no time to speak the words aloud.

In that moment, Xehanort's keyblade rang against hers.

The warmth grew until all was lost in its blinding light.

And everyone, save for Ava and Xehanort, felt nothing.

Nothing at all.

* * *

One moment, Ephemer was racing through a long, horrifying corridor. He was so anxious to reach the end, but arrived too late. An abundant, overwhelming light consumed everything in its path.

Against every survival instinct he possessed, he ran- bolting into the scorching heat, reaching forwards even as his gloves turned to ash. If he could just grab her, he could run. The instant he had her hand in his, he would run.

But the heat overtook him before he got the chance.

Falling, falling. He fell through the sky like a leaf in the wind. His eyes fluttered open and shut as he struggled to remain conscious.

It was an exercise in futility. His skin burned as shadows stole his vision.

He was dying.

Still he struggled.

He'd been close to death before, but this time was different. She wasn't safe. _She was not safe._ And if her safety wasn't guaranteed, he could not rest in peace. He wouldn't rest, not until the one he treasured was out of danger.

Soft arms cradled him. Hair like silk swept across his burning cheek, cool and pleasant. Still, the sudden contact stung- the pain of which zapped him awake long enough for him to notice he was being carried.

"Ava...?" he uttered, his tone hoarse and brittle. "Ava...!"

His hand, scorched and bleeding, lifted in search of hers.

Someone else linked their fingers through his, as if to reassure him. Their efforts failed however, for he was panicked- more than he had ever been before.

Then whoever was carrying him came to a stop. He struggled in vain as they scooped him up in their arms and hauled him through a thin, chill fog. Alarm sirens rang in his mind when their arms disappeared. But somehow, he didn't fall. A single thought began to form when what light there was vanished and the cool fog dropped in temperature.

Suddenly he knew where he was. He'd been here before, when escorting fatally wounded dandelions to the castle's healers.

_It's a dream capsule_, Ava's disembodied, angelic voice whispered in his mind. _Sylva designed them. They're incredible!_

Through sheer force of will, Ephemer forced his eyes open. He floated forward -his feet were _not_ touching the ground- and raised his fist with difficulty. Even as his chin dropped and his eyes slid forward, he brought his fist against the wall. Once, twice, he banged against the wall.

Ava's fleeting image flashed before his eyes.

_Don't put me to sleep!_ he thought, wishing he could scream. _Let me out!_

His arms fell limp. His eyes slid shut as he leaned back. A single tear escaped him.

He was alone in an endless field of dandelions. The sky was a blank, endless whiteness. With neither sun nor stars to watch over him, Ephemer wandered.

He wandered for hours. Or days? He couldn't tell. No matter how much time did or did not pass, the air never changed. No matter how far he walked, all he saw were dandelions. The only change that occurred was his desire for rest.

Somehow, he knew he was resting already. But it wasn't enough. He was exhausted, still. Despite all that, there was a lingering sense of urgency. It grew like a snowball rolling downhill. The more he walked, the bigger it felt.

A big voice was screaming in his mind.

_Where's the exit?_

_I have to get out!_

_She needs me!_

A big voice, belonging to a bigger him with bigger hands. His hands were small now. Or maybe they had always been small? Somehow, inside he felt cramped. His arms and legs should be longer. His eyes shouldn't be so large and curious. But outside, he looked like a child.

Laughter rang through the air like wind chimes, and he sighed in relief. He wasn't alone. Of course he wasn't alone, there _had_ to be someone else here. No matter what the world, there were always adventures to be had. New sights to see. New friends to make.

He stopped mid-run, disturbed and concerned. How did he know that? Where had he heard that?

_She told you! _his big voice answered, impatient and distraught.

"Who...?" he whimpered, shuddering internally.

He heard more laughter and whirled to look in the direction it had come from.

A child sprinted by, accidentally bumping his shoulder as she passed him. He followed her with his eyes until she got too far away.

Not wanting to lose sight of her, he ran.

He chased her, haunted by her laughter. As they ran, the dandelions turned to sand. And where the sand ended, they found water.

Ephemer skidded to a halt at the shore line, looking over it in wonder until her laughter filled his ears once more.

He looked up.

She stood ankle-deep in water. There, beyond the sea. Her mask was gone, and her hood was down. As he had so often wished, through every day of their childhood days, he could see into her eyes.

Warm, violet eyes.

Only something painful tugged at his heart.

Although she smiled, her eyes were sad.

A wave was coming for her from behind. A wall of water, growing taller as it rolled closer to her.

And he was running. He couldn't begin to comprehend where the loyalty, love, and faith possessing him had come from. But he knew he couldn't let that water touch her.

And she was barely out of his reach when it did.

Caught up in the barrel, he spun head-over-heels until he felt sick. Nausea gave way to bleary-eyed grogginess. A deep, waking gasp of shock rocked him as his eyes snapped open.

He was awake?

Steady breath turned to fog as silver hawk-eyes looked through the darkness. The chilled air, the tight, enclosed space. He _was_ awake. And he was still in the Dream Capsule.

A mechanical whoosh alerted him. Ephemer leaned back as the capsule opened up like the petals of a lotus flower, then he bounded out.

Skuld was waiting for him, as were Lauriam and Eraqus. They each appeared haggard and exhausted, as if they spent days or weeks without proper rest. But however tired they were, they each reached for him and he fell into their open arms.

The four friends sank to the floor in a shared embrace. Ephemer was still freezing, and half-clung to them for warmth.

Despite sleeping for a week or two, as was his best guess, he was wide awake. That was how Dream Capsules worked- they put whoever was on the brink of death into a magical sleep until they were whole and healthy. So no matter how much time it took for them to recover, they would need neither food or water, nor any other nourishment. Only rest.

A pair of healers stood back near a sleek monitor displaying results and what looked to be a silhouette of Ephemer cut through by graph lines. Ephemer noticed them look away -perhaps in guilt- and followed the direction of their gaze to Master Invi.

Invi who waited quietly to the side for the Oathkeepers to finish.

Ephemer tensed, and began to pull away.

All at once, he remembered the crisis in Radiant Garden. He remembered racing through Castle Radiant in search of his missing master. And he remembered the scorching heat which injured him so terribly he was barely conscious when Chirithy's clock ran out and the magic circle carried him and the others back to Scala.

"Where is Ava?" He asked, slowly getting to his feet. "How long was I asleep?"

His friends stood with him. They wouldn't look at him. Or each other. Or anything.

Lauriam's brow was furrowed with self-loathing. Eraqus' hair clung to his now-scarred face. Skuld's squeezed her bloodshot eyes shut, and her hand covered her mouth in an effort to keep from sobbing.

When none of them answered him, Invi spoke up:

"You've been sleeping for ten months now. Ava was left behind."


End file.
